Many individuals associate music with “good vibes” and generally consider it to be a peaceful, relaxing way to pass the time. However, this peaceful pastime can be detrimental to health effects when enjoyed in loud volumes. Many science articles study the relationship between music and mood, as well as music and health. Figuring out how our daily experiences affect our long-term health can assist us nurture our mental and physical long-term health.
An article published by Scientific American, titled “Turning Down the Noise Improves Health in Many Ways” compares the different volumes of noises we hear throughout the day. They claim that the maximum volume of our listening devices, radios, or TVs reaches volumes that could damage our hearing in less than five minutes. Additionally, they suggest that even though people in busy cities claim to be able to sleep through the noise, sleep studies have shown that there are usually multiple awakenings throughout the night due to noise disturbances, which doubles the health effects due to sleep deprivation outcomes, and noise disturbance effects. Noise disturbances have also been linked to developmental reading hindrances, and have been shown to lead to higher rates of high blood pressure, heart failure, and other circulatory stressors. So despite our tendency to find ourselves in loud environments, in public or private spaces, studies have proven our moods and health would drastically benefit from keeping noise levels to a minimum. This isn’t to say that we can’t enjoy our loud game nights or jam sessions, but to focus on limiting the noise level so that we’re maximizing, or savoring, the health benefits that come from enjoyable moments.
Music in appropriate volumes has always been used to ease nerves. It is generally considered to be a type of therapy. “Effects of music and music therapy on mood in neurological patients” by Raglio et al. (2015) studied specifically how music contributes to emotional regulation in patients. In stroke patients, all of the studies completed showed positive effects of musical intervention, and dementia patients showed positive effects in mood, depression, and anxiety. Other neurological disorders were also studied and found similar results: musical intervention and therapy can improve our quality of life, lower the effects of depression and anxiety, and generally lead to better psychological outcomes. The mechanism behind this is mostly oriented towards the activation of limbic structures and associated structures that function abnormally in common neurological disorders. So, we know that noise can have negative and positive effects, but how can we extend the positive effects of music and gatherings to have extended neurological benefits?
In her lecture at Loyola University Chicago’s Neuroscience Seminar, Dr. Rebecca Silton discussed the idea of savoring moments. She suggested that savoring, or somewhat elongating, the positive feelings associated with desirable life events would maximize the health outcomes associated with positive moods. Savoring, much like music intervention and decreasing noise disturbances, can lead to lower depression rates and decrease some of the symptoms commonly associated with depression. To savor moments, individuals should focus on anticipating, being present, and reminiscing on the positive experiences of life.
With that being said, hearing may be one of the most important senses when it comes to neurological impact. Too much noise can have severe health implications, but intentional musical therapy can assist in regulating neurological disorders. There seems to be a trend in making intentional decisions when it comes to what noises we surround ourselves with, which gets at Dr. Silton’s idea of savoring. Sure, we’re going to experience loud noises, we hear music every day, but if we assign some amount of intention behind the doses in which we interact with noises, we would be practicing savoring and ultimately living the best, appropriately noisy, life we can.
References
Raglio, Alfredo. “Effects of music and music therapy on mood in neurological patients.” World Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 5, no. 1, 2015, p. 68, https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v5.i1.68.
Silberner, Joanne. “Noise Hurts Much More than Our Ears.” Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2024, www.scientificamerican.com/article/everyday-noises-can-hurt-hearts-not-just-ears-and-the-ability-to-learn/.
Silton, Rebecca L., et al. “Regulating positive emotions: Implications for promoting well-being in individuals with depression.” Emotion, vol. 20, no. 1, Feb. 2020, pp. 93–97, https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000675.
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