Have
you ever thought of a life without music? For a long time now, music has become
a large part of our lives without our knowing it. Why and how did it become a
huge part of our lives? Every day we hear music, whether it be from the classic
radio or from the Ipod, from an instrument or from someone's singing, or
just the rhythmic tapping of people's feet . It is now unimaginable for our
lives to be without music. What is music exactly that it became something
essential to our daily lives? Music is a form of art that provides physical,
mental, and emotional benefits.
One cannot tell exactly where or
when it started although it is believed that it had begun in Africa in the
prehistoric times. Music from this era is called prehistoric music. Since at
that time musical instruments were still not invented, music then was the
sounds created from the natural actions made by the people such as humming and
whistling. As time passed, different cultural traditions gradually developed a
different forms of music, and from these different forms comes different
benefits.
Music
can benefit a person physically. Exercises such as dancing and yoga use music
to help people keep up with the beat. When a fast-paced and upbeat music is
played, the body automatically matches the rhythm of the music. Physically
drained people may be able to rejuvenate through happy or upbeat music. When slow
and mellow music is played, a fatigued person relaxes and sleeps more soundly.
Some studies show that music has
positive effects on the body's immune system. Music helps in the production of
Immunoglobulin A, the antibody that plays a major role in our immune system. It
also helps decline the levels of cortisol or stress hormone in the body. As a
result, listening to music can lower a person's stress level.
Music can also benefit a person
mentally. If you observe carefully, most commercials, if not all, have music.
Why would people use music in commercials? Music actually helps people remember
things easier. It triggers their memory, making them remember where they have
heard that music. When a person is asked about the commercial, more often than
not, they remember the tune of the music that was used. In this example, it is
shown how music somehow helps in retaining the memory of a person.
In addition, music can be used in
therapies for people who have problems in their mental health such as Dementia,
a health condition in which there is a gradual deterioration of mental ability
and capacity of the person. This condition usually affects people in their
latter years. It is something that cannot be stopped completely. However, according
to Nancy Darling, studies show that when people with Dementia are exposed to
music, the process of the deterioration is slowed down. When they listen to
music that they know from their youth, their memories will surface and they
become more active than without the music.
Another way people can use music is to listen soft and relaxing music to
aid their meditation. It helps them relax and concentrate, making it easier for
them to be able to achieve their "inner peace". Furthermore, according
to Satrio, researchers found out instrumental music helps people concentrate.
Thus, it helps them do their jobs better.
Lastly, music can benefit a person
emotionally. Music can serve an outlet for our emotions. Most songwriters
transmit what they are feeling at the moment when they were writing the lyrics
to their song. Excellent singers and dancers are usually the people who are
able to make their audience feel the emotion of the song. Even the listeners,
whether they mean to or not, get into the emotion of the music being played.
This helps people cope with their emotional problems. These problems that keep
on piling up inside without having an outlet, may cause the person to have an
emotional breakdown. It will take a long time before the person gets to
recover. Why wait for it to become this worse when you can prevent it from
happening by using music as a means to let all these problems out. Another fact
is that, music is a much more effective instrument in expressing thoughts and emotions
than that of psychotherapy. Having an outlet for our emotions could help us to
deal with problems in a positive way.
Truly, music has given us a lot of
benefits. It helps us become physically fit through its use in dancing. We can
relax ourselves with slow and mellow music. In addition, it aids us in our
immune system and lowers our stress level. Music helps us remember things more
easily. It could help us concentrate. Furthermore, it can serve as a catalyst
for emotions, helps us express our thoughts and emotions, helping us to view
life in a more optimistic way. Given these facts, I believe that music plays an
essential and important part of our lives.
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