Music plays an influential role in society and culture and has done for many thousands of years. Some of the earliest instruments even date back to about 40,000 years ago1.
Not only does music play a large role in society, but research also shows that music has positive effects on your overall wellbeing.
Whether music plays a large role in your life is unique from person to person, but many people listen to and enjoy music on a daily basis.
If hearing loss is influencing your ability to hear your favorite music, read today’s article to learn why hearing music again could have a positive influence on your personal and social life.
Music can strengthen social bonds
Because music affects the areas of the brain involved in trust, cooperation, and empathy, music impacts our ability to connect with those around us.
In listening to music with others or by creating music with others, you may feel more connected to those around you2.
Music can improve your mood
Listening to music has also been found to release oxytocin, which is a neuropeptide in your brain that plays an important role in bonding and building trust between people.
Another study showed that listening to music releases the “feel-good hormone” dopamine which is associated with learning and memory1234.
Music may improve immune functioning
The potential impact that music has on overall physical health is also compelling.
One study from Wilkes University found that students who listened to soothing music showed higher levels of a specific antibody in the immune system, suggesting that music exposure could improve immunity5.
Music may improve memory
As previously mentioned, the dopamine release that can take place when listening to music is associated with learning and memory.
Studies on hospital patients in recovery have shown that patients who listened to music daily during recovery showed significant improvements in verbal memory and focused attention when compared to groups who did not listen to music daily5.
Music can improve cognitive performance
Research shows that music helps to improve performance on cognitive tasks.
More specifically, upbeat music improves one’s ability to do a task quickly6.
Music can improve motivation and exercise performance
Listening to music during a workout can lead to better exercise performance and increased stamina. This is because when you divert your attention to the music, you’re less likely to pay attention to the task at hand and enjoy the music6.
And the workout doesn’t have to be a high-powered workout. Just play your favorite music through your hearing aids and head out for your favorite walk. You may just feel like walking a little farther!
How hearing loss can affect our ability to enjoy your favorite music
When you have hearing loss, you may have difficulty hearing your favorite music. Initially, you might think that it’s not a big deal, but as the research presented in this article shows, music actually has a large influence on your overall wellbeing, sense of community, and health.
How hearing aids can help you enjoy music again
If you experience that you’re having trouble hearing music and other sounds in your life, hearing aids can help you to hear the sounds you enjoy again.
Hearing aids will help you to hear any music playing around you. Additionally, modern hearing aids even allow you to stream music directly into your hearing aids – so they can essentially replace your headphones and function like a hands-free headset.
1 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170620093153.htm
2 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_ways_music_strengthens_social_bonds
3 https://www.healthline.com/health/happy-hormone#:~:text=Dopamine.,motor%20system%20function%2C%20and%20more.
4 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_we_love_music
5 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_ways_music_can_make_you_healthier
6 https://www.verywellmind.com/surprising-psychological-benefits-of-music-4126866