Music — food for the soul; therapy for the mind

Music is evolving since the evolution of mankind. Highlights of the effects of music on the human mind, body and spirit, as a soul fulfilling art form, a stress reliever, and a therapeutic alternative to treatments for various disorders are touched upon.

Music is meditation — for its calming effects on the brain. There have been many clinical studies elucidating the positive effects of classical music on the body and mind. It is no secret that babies doze off to a soothing lullaby. Calming effects of music decrease heart rate, blood pressure etc.[5]. From pain management in cancer therapies to rehabilitation for trauma patients, music has played an important role in many cases. Researchers have actually noticed the increase in levels of calming hormones in post operative patients who were exposed to music[1]. Evidences of positive effects of music on patients of addiction and substance abuse are profound[2].

Indian classical music is an ancient form of music. It has evolved slowly in the ways it is perceived and practiced, like the differentiation into Hindustani and Carnatic forms, and changes in improvisation techniques. Though the structure of rhythm, tala, shruthi and raga have remained largely unchanged, the evolution has been profound in terms of modern fusion music, use of sophisticated musical instruments, music in theatre, etc.

Using music as a healing entity and as a complementary therapy has come into practice in western medicine in recent times. Indian classical music is referenced in an ancient text “Raga Chikitsa” (healing using ragas-in Sanskrit), where different ragas are used for bringing different effects on the body and mind. For example, the raga Sama reduces anxiety, Bilahari increases joyous feeling, Nilambari induces sleep, etc.[3]. Evidence on the use of music as a healing method in developmentally delayed children has been shown in many research studies[4]. There are a number of clinical studies proving the effects of music as a therapeutic add-on with other healing methods.

The transcendental feeling when enjoying a musical piece can be pictured to being in a deep meditative state. Nonetheless, comparing music to meditation and as a healing art is not without substantiation. One doesn’t need a doctor to reassure that a painful feeling gets better when one listens to a favourite piece of music.

With the evolution of various platforms to learn, listen and perform various styles of music, there is limitless options to explore and enjoy music based on our interests. Mobile apps like YouTube, Spotify etc. have tailored choice of music for our tastes; software like GeoShred, GarageBand let us produce music; Karaoke and Smule let us sing our favourites with background music; there are even dedicated apps for learning to sing and to play the piano! So if you are feeling stressed out, just calm down, play the music you love, or rather sing for yourself — it is known that a person feels their own voice to be great, irrespective of whether they actually learnt the art of singing. Go on, play or sing your favourite piece, as music is a great meditation technique by itself.

References:

1. Nilsson U. Soothing music can increase oxytocin levels during bed rest after open-heart surgery: a randomised control trial. J Clin Nurs. 2009 Aug;18(15):2153–61. doi: 10.1111/j.1365–2702.2008.02718.x. PMID: 19583647.
2. Cevasco AM, Kennedy R, Generally NR. Comparison of movement-to-music, rhythm activities, and competitive games on depression, stress, anxiety, and anger of females in substance abuse rehabilitation. J Music Ther. 2005 Spring;42(1):64–80. doi: 10.1093/jmt/42.1.64. PMID: 15839734.
3. Sanivarapu SL. India’s rich musical heritage has a lot to offer to modern psychiatry. Indian J Psychiatry. 2015;57(2):210–213. doi:10.4103/0019–5545.158201
4. Sundar. S. (2007) Traditional healing systems and modern music therapy in India. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VIII (3).
5. Trappe, H. J., & Voit, G. (2016). The Cardiovascular Effect of Musical Genres. Deutsches Arzteblatt international, 113(20), 347–352. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2016.0347