When you listen to music there are several things going on in your brain that you don’t know about. We rely on music to get through everyday tasks, push through workouts, and boost our mood. Some people spend hours on end listening to music while others listen to it briefly. Either way, the effect of music on the brain is evident. When music first enters your brain, dopamine is released instantaneously. You may feel chills from listening to a specific song because of your body’s response to dopamine. Listening to a song repeatedly leads your body to release dopamine after the first few notes.
Music and health
Whether you are blasting rap or classical music in your ears, its impact is important and can tell you a lot about your mind and body’s development. Music can help protect your body by making antibodies and cells that protect you from bacteria. It also has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety in difficult circumstances. Many people use music to regulate their mood, serving a similar purpose to caffeine and alcohol.
Music and emotions
The way we interpret music is based on our personal background and personalities. You may pay attention to details that others don’t notice. Your personal history can impact your interpretation of music. Studies have shown that people who listen to the same music have similar brain activity patterns. This goes to show that despite people’s different interpretations they can still have a common experience with the song.
Music and memory
The mental process of listening to a song can be related to what happens in your brain when you read. It involves your working memory for verbal and music stimuli. Feeling emotions while listening can enhance your memory of the song further. Your brain can adapt faster and process information quicker from music. Since music is based around memory and connection, it can help those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, as studies that have shown music can help those who suffer from the disease remember things. Those who are non-communicative may sing along to a favorite song from their childhood. You tend to remember more things from your childhood because it’s such an emotionally aware time of your life.
Your brain responds in many ways to music and it doesn’t matter the type. A phenomenon called the Mozart effect suggests that listening to classical music can make you smarter, but this is not necessarily the case. Your brain actually responds better to the music that shaped your background, such as the music you grew up listening to. Next time you listen to music, pay attention to how your mind and body respond.