The Power of Music

Although Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart may haveMozart's K448 sonata has been found to
passed away mysteriously his legacy still lives ondecrease epileptic attacks in humans and rats
in his music and the buzzword "Mozart Effect"listening to it are able to go through a maze
referring to an increase in brain developmentfaster than those that were left in silence.
when listening to Mozart's music.Concomitantly, playing classical music to children
It has always been known that soundinitiates positive physiological effects, low heart
environment has a good outcome on the feelingrate, low breathing rate, and lower levels of the
of well being on people on various age groups.cortisol, the stress hormone. In sports
Unfortunately very little scientific work has beenpsychology, music has been used to aid runners
carried out to investigate behaviour changes inand baseball players during their warm-ups, to
relative to use of music. However in recent yearsenhance performance by increasing focus and
there has been growing interest in the therapeuticreducing stress. Most probably all classical music in
use of music for stress relief. Several properlygeneral could trigger the Mozart Effect.
conducted scientific experiments have concludedGood soothing music has no side-effects and is
that good music can affect the neurochemicalhighly good for people leading to reduced anxiety
transmissions leading to positive outcome on theand stress levels. It also induces increased
brain at all periods. Currently one experiment ismemory, reduces emotional stress, depression,
being conducted to figure out if classical musicanxiety, agitation and promotes good immune
such as of Mozart can affect stress levels, heartsystem, decreases cortisol levels and increase
rate, motor activity, mood and vital signs inwell-being. Above all it can be applied everyday
premature babies. This will be done by using aand is virtually free. Health professionals can teach
monitoring device and video camera to indicatepatients about the power of music so that it can
the reactions of the infants to effect of music.lead to decrease in negative mood, stress and
Interestingly premature newborns that are beingdepression, and promote feelings of well being and
exposed to music have reduced symptoms ofrelaxation. It is important we develop and
stress and gain weight faster.investigate the power of such non traditional and
Another study showed that when music is beingnon-pharmacological therapeutic modalities taking
played in the background it can relieve stress in ainto consideration its ease and practicality in daily
hospital setting; as music reduces anxiety andpractice.
stress in patients undergoing surgery. Amazingly