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. The therapeutic effect of music has, however, been known for thousands of years dating back to ancient medicine. Before the scientific study of music as a therapeutic tool, magical power was attributed to music. For example, the first book of Homer's Iliad describes how a performance of hymns and paeans saved the Greeks from the plague inflicted by the arrows of Apollo. Similarly, paeans sung by the poet Thaletas are credited with getting rid of the plague from the ancient city of Sparta.

Vase showing musical harps being played in ancient Greece

But it had gained acceptance as a valuable medical tool even in ancient times, especially in Classical Greece. Hippocrates is known to have used music as therapy for his mental patients, and Aristotle and Plato extolled the healing virtues of music to the extent that ancient Greek healing centers (Asclepian temples) housed both physicians and musicians to treat the sick. And dating further back, Ancient Egyptians used chanting incantations (a form of musical therapy) for healing the sick. So once again, what ancient physicians learned through experience is now finding evidential support through medical research.

I would strongly recommend everyone to pick up an instrument and start to learn, no matter how old you are. Or at the very least, have a Spotify playlist ready and listen to it whenever and wherever you face anxiety. I know from my own experience that it can have a major impact on your mental health.

Sources:

https://news.stanford.edu/news/2006/may31/brainwave-053106.html
https://www.greece-is.com/music-therapy-in-ancient-greece/

https://pharmaphorum.com/r-d/views-analysis-r-d/medical-music-calm-nerves/

Comments

Origin of the Word "Cancer"

In my previous post, I explored the history of cancer. Since we know it existed in ancient times, it follows that so did its name. In fact, the name "cancer" was coined by none other than the great Hippocrates (well, not the exact name but the root of the name). Hippocrates in fact, used two terms, carcinoma and carcinos, to describe ulcerous and non-ulcerous tumors respectively. He named the tumors after Carcinus (or Karkinos), a giant crab in Greek mythology that was sent by the Goddess Hera to help Hydra fight against Hercules. As to why Hippocrates chose to name the tumor after a crab is not quite clear but there are several theories: - The hardness of a malignant tumor reminded him of the hard shell of a crab. - The pain induced by a malignant tumor is similar to a sharp pinch of a crab's claw. - The tenacity of cancer is similar to the determination with which a crab bites and grabs on to a person. While all these theories seem plausible, the

Hippocrates: Father of Medicine

Another important person in Greek medicine is Hippocrates. Hippocrates is considered the father of modern medicine who continues to influence medicine more than 2000 years later. Although he is as revered as Asclepius, they have very different origins. While Asclepius is a mythological character, considered to be descended from God, Hippocrates is very much a historical figure, whose origin and life is recorded in history. Hippocrates lived from 460 to 375 BCE during the Classical Greece period and practiced medicine in Greece. His contribution to western medicine is rivaled by none other, and his collection of works covers almost every aspect of disease and medicine including infection, hygiene, epidemiology and the human immune system. Bust of Hippocrates Also, unlike Asclepius, Hippocrates practiced medicine as a science, not as divine magic. He was one of the first to separate religion from medicine, and sought to match treatment with symptoms. His observations in the Corp

Meditrinalia: Festival of Health (AKA Wine!)

Happy Meditrinalia! Those who are legally allowed to, raise a glass of your favorite wine in cheer- the goddess of health is smiling upon you today! Meditrinalia is an ancient Roman festival that was celebrated on October 11 in honor of the goddess of medicine, Meditrina. According to legend, the festival marked the end of the vine harvest, and people of Latium began to taste their new wine on this day. Although it was first celebrated in honor of Jupiter, it soon gave rise to a new goddess of healing/medicine, Meditrina, on whom the festival is now named. The Romans made an offering of wine to the gods on this occasion while reciting " vetus novum vinum bibo, novo veteri morbo medeor." which translates to ''Wine new and old I drink, of illness new and old I'm cured." The new wine was thought to hold healing powers. Given that we now know wine is rich in antioxidants, and it can help reduce cholesterol and heart disease, the ancient Romans sure were o

History of Medicine

Search This Blog