Listening to music can be entertaining, and research suggests that it might even make you healthier. Music can be a source of pleasure and contentment, but there are many other psychological benefits as well. Music can relax the mind, energize the body, and even help people better manage pain. Research also suggests that background music, or music that is played while the listener is primarily focused on another activity, can improve performance on cognitive tasks in older adults. In addition, music can help reduce or manage stress. Listening to music impacts the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating involuntary body functions, such as heartbeat, blood flow, breathing, and digestion. Believe it or not, music can even help you eat less. According to one study, people who listened to soft music while eating consumed 18% less food than those who didn’t. Music and lighting help to create a more relaxed setting, which results in slower eating and becoming more aware of when you’re full. Research has also shown that music can be very helpful in the management of pain. Just one hour of listening to music has shown a significant reduction in pain. Such results suggest that music therapy could be an important tool in the treatment of chronic pain. Among other things that listening to music can do, it can help you sleep better, improve motivation, reduce symptoms of depression, and even improve your memory. Instead of thinking of music as pure entertainment, consider some of the major mental benefits of incorporating music into your everyday life. You might find that you feel more motivated, happy, and relaxed as a result.
