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Showing posts from December, 2021

Music and Mental Health

After a full day at school, I am sometimes too tired to even think, but I still welcome my violin lesson. Many a time, I have gone to the lesson dreading spending an hour standing upright, only to feel relaxed and lighthearted within minutes of playing my violin. It has an inexplicable effect on both my body and my emotions as I continue playing- it's almost like I feel the stress slipping away with each stroke of the bow.  And there is ample evidence for the therapeutic effects of music. It has been proven that upbeat music can lift spirits and cheer a person, while a slower tempo can relax muscles and calm the mind. Music is known to increase dopamine- the "feel-good" hormone- levels in the body. Stanford researchers even found that music can change brain functioning to the same extent as medication.  Music therapy has now become a recognized medical discipline. It is used to treat disorders ranging from depression and trauma to schizophrenia and high blood pressure. Th