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  • Benefits of Music & Music Education (200+ Studies)
Benefits of Music & Music Education (200+ Studies)

Benefits of Music & Music Education (200+ Studies)

By Oli Braithwaite Last updated Dec 23, 2020

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Music is a wonderful thing, fulfilling and worthwhile in and of itself. And while we should never lose sight of this fact, science has also discovered many additional benefits associated with music education and listening to music in general which are worth exploring.

This page records, summarises and categorises these benefits of music according to science. With over 200 studies listed, it’s by far the largest collection of its kind.

Watch the video

This video focuses on the benefits of music education, leaving out the wider benefits of music in general which are also included below.

Key:

Music education icon

Study shows a benefit of learning a musical instrument or singing.

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Study shows a benefit of listening to music.

Jump to a type of benefit

We’ve categorised the studies by the type of benefit they show. Browse our list and jump straight to a benefit of your choice.

List of benefit types
  • Memory
  • Language
  • Learning & intelligence
  • Motor function
  • Exercise
  • Breathing
  • Brain function
  • Immune system
  • Mood
  • Anxiety
  • Sleep
  • Productivity
  • Pain relief
  • Heart health
  • Social
  • Eating
Benefits of music education banner
Benefits of music on memory

Memory

Improves cognitive performance

A study on healthy older adults showed that those with musical experience of ten or more years scored higher on cognitive tests compared to musicians with less the ten years of experience and non-musicians.

Music education icon

2011 Pubmed

Title and authors

The relation between instrumental musical activity and cognitive aging

Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, Alicia MacKay.

Improves attention and working memory

In a study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, it was shown that children who are musically trained perform better in terms of attention and memory recall.

Music education icon
2020 Frontiers
Title and authors

Musical training can improve attention and working memory in children – study

Dr. Leonie Kausel.

Improves working memory

In a study published in PLOS, musicians were found to have better working memory than non-musicians.

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2010 PLOS

Title and authors

Cognitive Control in Auditory Working Memory Is Enhanced in Musicians

Karen Johanne Pallesen, Elvira Brattico,Christopher J. Bailey, Antti Korvenoja, Juha Koivisto, Albert Gjedde, Synnöve Carlson.

Improves verbal memory

In this study, adults who took up music lessons when younger demonstrated higher verbal recollection skills.

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1998 Nature
Title and authors

Music training improves verbal memory

Agnes S. Chan, Yim-Chi Ho, Mei-Chun.

Improves verbal memory

This study stated that children who had music training showed better verbal memory compared to their counterparts who did not receive music training.

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2003 Neuropsychology

Title and authors

Music training improves verbal but not visual memory: Cross-sectional and longitudinal explorations in children

Ho, Yim-Chi, Cheung, Mei-Chun, Chan, Agnes S.

Improves memory recall

Six weeks of music intervention was able to improve memory recall on the digit span test in children.

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2018 PubMed

Title and authors

Improved Digit Span in Children after a 6-Week Intervention of Playing a Musical Instrument: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial


Xia Guo,  Chie Ohsawa, Akiko Suzuki, Kaoru Sekiyama.

Improves working memory in the elderly

A music training program that involves drumming was able to improve working memory in the elderly.

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2018 PubMed

Title and authors

The effects of drumming on working memory in older adults


Franziska Degé, Katharina Kerkovius.

Improves memory in patients with dementia

Researchers were able to observe that both singing and listening to music enhances memory in patients with dementia.

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Music education icon

2013 PubMed

Title and authors

Cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of regular musical activities in early dementia: randomized controlled study

Teppo Särkämö, Mari Tervaniemi, Sari Laitinen, Ava Numminen, Merja Kurki, Julene K Johnson, Pekka Rantanen.

Improves memorisation

According to this study, listening to the music a person likes helps with the reinforcement of learning and the recall of information.

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2013 NCBI
Title and authors

Pleasurable music affects reinforcement learning according to the listener

Benjamin P. Gold, Michael J. Frank, Brigitte Bogert, Elvira Brattico.

Increases memory recall

In this study, participants who were asked to read and recall a shortlist of words performed better when listening to classical music compared to those who listened to white noise or silence.

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2014 NCBI
Title and authors

The cognitive effects of listening to background music on older adults: processing speed improves with upbeat music, while memory seems to benefit from both upbeat and downbeat music

Sara Bottiroli, Alessia Rosi, Riccardo Russo, Tomaso Vecchi, Elena Cavallini.

Slows cognitive decline

In a study of adults with early memory loss, researchers discovered that listening to music improves memory function and lowers self-reports of cognitive decline in patients with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.

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2017 IOS
Title and authors

Meditation and Music Improve Memory and Cognitive Function in Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Kim E. Innes, Terry Kit Selfe, Khalsa Kita, Singh Dharma, Sahiti Kandati.

Improves verbal memory

According to a study published in the journal Frontiers, using musical mnemonics or memory techniques are more effective than spoken words in verbal memory learning tasks.

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2018 Frontiers

Title and authors

Musical Mnemonics Enhance Verbal Memory in Typically Developing Children

David Knott, Michael H. Thaut.

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Benefits of music on language

Language

Improves speech response throughout a lifetime

According to this study, older adults who had music lessons as children yet did not play music most of their adulthood have faster brain responses to speech sounds compared to those who never learned to play an instrument.

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2013 Journal of Neuroscience
Title and authors

Older Adults Benefit from Music Training Early in Life: Biological Evidence for Long-Term Training-Driven Plasticity

Travis White-Schwoch, Kali Woodruff Carr, Samira Anderson, Dana L. Strait, Nina Kraus.

Improves linguistic development

It has been shown that regular music play for 5 to 6-year-old children has a positive effect on linguistic skills.

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2018 Nature
Title and authors

Music playschool enhances children’s linguistic skills

Tanja Linnavalli, Vesa Putkinen, Jari Lipsanen, Minna Huotilainen, Mari Tervaniemi.

Helps with word discrimination

Researchers have found that piano lessons have a specific effect on kindergartners’ ability to distinguish between different pitches, which translates into an improvement in distinguishing between words.

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2018 MIT
Title and authors

How music lessons can improve language skills

Yun Nan, Li Liu, Hua Shu, and Qi Dong, all of Beijing Normal University; Eveline Geiser, a former MIT research scientist; Chen-Chen Gong, an MIT research associate; and John Gabrieli, the Grover M. Hermann Professor in Health Sciences and Technology, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences, and a member of MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research.

Improves reading and language skills

In a study presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention, it was shown that learning to play a musical instrument can help disadvantaged children improve their language and reading skills.

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2014 APA
Title and authors

Musical Training Offsets Some Academic Achievement Gaps, Research Says

Nina Kraus, PhD.

Increases reading ability

Children who learned to play the piano exhibited enhanced reading and vocabulary ability compared to children who did not undergo any type of music tuition, according to a study published in the Journal Psychology of Music.

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2009 Sage
Title and authors

The effect of piano lessons on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of primary grade students

Joseph M. Piro, Camilo Ortiz.

Improves discernment of sounds and speech

In a study published by Northwestern University, it was shown that musicians better coped with the effects of aging on their ability to hear words even with noise in the background.

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2011 PLOS
Title and authors

Musical Experience and the Aging Auditory System: Implications for Cognitive Abilities and Hearing Speech in Noise

Alexandra Parbery-Clark, Dana L. Strait, Samira Anderson, Emily Hittner, Nina Kraus.

Improves writing and reading skills

A study conducted with over 13,000 high school students was able to show that those who participated in music training scored higher in English than those who did not.

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2005 NAMM

Title and authors

The Impact of Music Education on Academic Achievement

Donald A. Hodges, Debra S. O’Connell.

Correlates to better grammar

According to a study from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, a child’s ability to distinguish musical rhythm is related to his or her capacity for understanding grammar.

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2014 Developmental Science

Title and authors

Musical rhythm discrimination explains individual differences in grammar skills in children

Reyna L. Gordon, Carolyn M. Shivers, Elizabeth A. Wieland, Sonja A. Kotz, Paul J. Yoder, J. Devin McAuley.

Improves vocabulary

Children with music training were able to learn more complex vocabulary than the group without music lessons.

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2013 Springer

Title and authors

Music Training and Second-Language English Comprehension and Vocabulary Skills in Indian Children

Swathi Swaminathan, Jini K. Gopinath.

Improves pitch and speech perception

In this study, we see that involvement in music-making is associated with a better ability to perceive pitch and speech in children.

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2019 PubMed
Title and authors

Beyond Technology: The Interaction of Perceptual Accuracy and Experiential Factors in Pediatric Music Engagement


Kate Gfeller, Virginia Driscoll, Adam Schwalje.

Enhances reading and speech discrimination

In this study, six months of music training was shown to improve reading and pitch discrimination of speech for children.

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2008 PubMed

Title and authors

Musical training influences linguistic abilities in 8-year-old children: more evidence for brain plasticity

Sylvain Moreno, Carlos Marques, Andreia Santos, Manuela Santos, São Luís Castro, Mireille Besson.

Improves reading skills in children with dyslexia

Findings from this research show that music training for dyslexic children produced an improvement in their reading skills.

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2015 PLOS

Title and authors

Music Training Increases Phonological Awareness and Reading Skills in Developmental Dyslexia: A Randomized Control Trial

Elena Flaugnacco,Luisa Lopez,Chiara Terribili,Marcella Montico,Stefania Zoia,Daniele Schön.

Helps the elderly distinguish speech from noise

Researchers found that even short-term music training was beneficial to the elderly in enhancing their ability to distinguish speech from noise.

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2019 Brain and Cognition
Title and authors

The effects of short-term musical training on the neural processing of speech-in-noise in older adults

David Fleming, Sylvie Belleville, Isabelle Peretz, Greg West, Benjamin Rich Zendela.

Helps in learning a new language

Students learning Hungarian were able to recall words and phrases better when they studied using songs to learn unfamiliar language.

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2013 Springer

Title and authors

Singing can facilitate foreign language learning

Karen M. Ludke, Fernanda Ferreira, Katie Overy.

Improves speech response in babies

This research shows that play sessions with music improve babies’ brain processing of both music and new speech sounds.

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2016 PNAS
Title and authors

Musical intervention enhances infants’ neural processing of temporal structure in music and speech

T. Christina Zhao, Patricia K. Kuhl.

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Benefits of music on learning

Learning & intelligence

Boosts performance in Science, Maths and English

High school students who took up music courses scored significantly higher in Maths, Science and English exams compared to their non-musical peers, according to this study.

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2020 APA PsycNet
Title and authors

A Population-Level Analysis of Associations Between School Music Participation and Academic Achievement

Martin Guhn, Scott D. Emerson, Peter Gouzouasis.

Improves scores in maths, reading and writing

In this study, students who participated in music activities scored higher on average in maths, reading and writing compared to those who did not.

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2012 Total Group Profile Report

Title and authors

Total Group Profile Report

The College Board.

Improves exam performance

Students enrolled in music programs scored higher in exams regardless of whether the music programme was deemed to be high quality or not.

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2006 Journal of Research in Music Education

Title and authors

Examination of Relationships between Participation in School Music Programs of Differing Quality and Standardized Test Results


Christopher M. Johnson, Jenny E. Memmott.

Improves maths, social skills, and attention span

A University of Queensland led study has shown that informal music activity at home improves maths skills, prosocial skills, and attention span over and above the effects of shared book reading.

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2015 University of Queensland

Title and authors

Jamming with toddlers trumps hitting the books

Margaret Barrett.

Improves test scores

Students who participated in school band showed continuous and stable higher test scores over time.

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2008 Journal of Research in Music Education

Title and authors

Selected Demographic Variables, School Music Participation, and Achievement Test Scores of Urban Middle School Students

Daryl W. Kinney

Improves performances in maths and English

This study showed that participation in school music groups correlates to better performances in maths and English.

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2002 Sociology of Education

Title and authors

Linking Extracurricular Programming to Academic Achievement: Who Benefits and Why?

Beckett A. Broh.

Improves sustained attention and focus

Studying music leads to lasting changes in children’s brains, increasing their ability to perform tasks that require prolonged attention and careful listening and reading.

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2014 The Royal Conservatory of Music

Title and authors

The Benefits of Music Education

The Royal Conservatory of Music

Improves maths skills

In one study from the Center for the Study of Human Development, it was demonstrated that piano lessons can significantly enhance maths ability compared to people who did not take up music lessons.

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1998 Brown University
Title and authors

Study of arts, music may enhance young pupils’ math and reading skills

Martin F. Gardiner of Brown University’s Center for the Study of Human Development.

Increases IQ scores

A study from the journal Psychological Science, showed that voice and keyboard lessons were able to increase the IQ scores of the participants when given before an IQ test.

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2004 Sage
Title and authors

Music Lessons Enhance IQ

E. Glenn Schellenberg.

Is associated with higher IQ test scores

In a study from the Karolinska Institutet, it was discovered that those who scored better on intelligence tests are those who do well with tapping to a rhythm.

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2008 ScienceDaily
Title and authors

Intelligence And Rhythmic Accuracy Go Hand In Hand

Fredrik Ullén at Karolinska Institutet, who led the study with Guy Madison at Umeå University.

Improves reasoning, planning and organisation

According to the study published in the journal Frontiers, music lessons result in improvement in language-based reasoning and the ability to plan, organize, and complete tasks that can translate to better academic performance scores.

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2018 Frontiers
Title and authors

Longitudinal Analysis of Music Education on Executive Functions in Primary School Children

Artur C. Jaschke, Henkjan Honing, Erik J. A. Scherder.

Increases focus and ability to absorb information

Studies have shown that instrument training from an early age can help the brain to better process sounds, making it easier to stay focused when absorbing information from other subjects.

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2010 Scientific American
Title and authors

Hearing the Music, Honing the Mind

Editors of Scientific American.

Enhances vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning

The results of this study suggest that instrumental music training may enhance auditory discrimination, fine motor skills, vocabulary, and non-verbal reasoning.

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2008 PLOS
Title and authors

Practicing a Musical Instrument in Childhood is Associated with Enhanced Verbal Ability and Nonverbal Reasoning

Marie Forgeard, Ellen Winner, Andrea Norton, Gottfried Schlaug.

Enhances verbal intelligence and executive function

After only one month of music lessons (in rhythm, pitch, melody and voice), a study at York University showed that 90% of children between the ages of 4 and 6 had a significant increase in verbal intelligence during an executive-function task.

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2011 Sage
Title and authors

Short-Term Music Training Enhances Verbal Intelligence and Executive Function

Sylvain Moreno, Ellen Bialystok, Raluca Barac, E. Glenn Schellenberg, Nicholas J. Cepeda, Tom Chau.

Improves brain efficiency

Researchers from Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute discovered that people who were trained in music and people who are bilingual used fewer brain resources during memory tests compared to people who had no formal training in music.

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2018 Rotman Baycrest
Title and authors

Different neural activities support auditory working memory in musicians and bilinguals

Dr. Claude Alain.

Supports cognitive development

After 30 weeks of music training, the study participants demonstrated improved cognitive function specifically in the area of spatial temporal reasoning.

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1999 APA PsychNet

Title and authors

The effect of early music training on child cognitive development

Bilhartz, Terry D. Bruhn, Rick A. Olson, Judith E.

Improves test outcomes

Students who were involved in music education scored higher in maths, science, reading, and citizenship tests compared to those without music training.

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2006 Sage

Title and authors

The Effect of Instrumental Music Participation and Socioeconomic Status on Ohio Fourth-, Sixth-, and Ninth-Grade Proficiency Test Performance

Kate R. Fitzpatrick

Improves the ability to focus

Children who had music lessons displayed enhanced ability to tune out irrelevant information and focus attention on the matter at hand compared to the group without lessons.

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2016 Sage

Title and authors

Cognitive inhibitory control in children following early childhood music education

Marie-Eve Joret, Filip Germeys, Yori Gidron.

Enhances spatial reasoning

Students taking music lessons showed improved spatial reasoning which increased their ability to solve certain types of problems.

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2000 The Journal of Aesthetic Education

Title and authors

Learning to Make Music Enhances Spatial Reasoning


Lois Hetland.

Is associated with better grades across all subjects

This study showed that students studying music have better grades across all subjects than those who do not.

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2003 Behavioural Brain Research

Title and authors

Music and academic performance

Arnaud Cabanac, Leonid Perlovsky, Marie-Claude Bonniot-Cabanac, Michel Cabanac.

Improves reading skills

In this study, music instruction was shown to significantly improve reading skills in students.

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2008 Sage

Title and authors

Does Music Instruction Help Children Learn to Read? Evidence of a Meta-Analysis


Jayne M. Standley.

Improves spatial-temporal task performance

Students who received keyboard lessons performed better in  spatial-temporal tasks.

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2000 Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Title and authors

Classroom keyboard instruction improves kindergarten children’s spatial-temporal performance: A field experiment

Frances H Rauscher, Mary Anne Zupan.

Is associated with better academic performance

Participation in music, whether inside or outside of school, was associated with better academic achievement among children and adolescents.

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2009 Wiley

Title and authors

The Impact of Music on Childhood and Adolescent Achievement

Darby E. Southgate, Vincent J. Roscigno.

Invokes high states of concentration

A study from Stanford’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustic showed that fast drum beats can place the mind in a state of increased concentration.

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2006 Stanford
Title and authors

Feeling the beat: Symposium explores the therapeutic effects of rhythmic music

Harold Russell, Thomas Budzynski.

Increases attention span

A study from the University of Southern Denmark showed that just 12 minutes of listening to binaural beats and 4 weeks of mindfulness training were effective interventions to counteract the effects of mental fatigue on sustained attention.

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2020 Springer
Title and authors

On-the-Spot Binaural Beats and Mindfulness Reduces the Effect of Mental Fatigue

Johanne Lundager Axelsen, Ulrich Kirk, Walter Staiano.

Acts as a reward that drives learning

According to a study published by the National Academy of Sciences, music can act as a reward that motivates participants into learning.

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2019 PNAS
Title and authors

Musical reward prediction errors engage the nucleus accumbens and motivate learning

Benjamin P. Gold, Ernest Mas-Herrero, Yashar Zeighami, Mitchel Benovoy, Alain Dagher, Robert J. Zatorre.

Can improve short-term information retention

A US study has shown that when students listen to the same classical music during study and while asleep, a method used to target reactivation of memories during sleep, their chances of passing upcoming exams increased.

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2020 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Classical music, educational learning, and slow wave sleep: A targeted memory reactivation experiment

Chenlu Gaoa, Paul Fillmore, Michael K.Scullin.

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Benefits of music on motor function

Motor Function

Improves perceptual-motor skills

The group who participated in music education showed significant improvement in perceptual-motor skills compared to the control group.

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1981 PubMed

Title and authors

Effects of an integrated physical education/music program in changing early childhood perceptual-motor performance

J Brown, C Sherrill, B Gench.

Develops brain motor function

People who performed a basic movement task while listening to music showed increased connectivity between the regions of the brain that process sound and control movement suggesting music can enhance brain motor function.

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2017 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Diffusion tensor MRI tractography reveals increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in arcuate fasciculus following music-cued motor training

Emma Moore, Rebecca S.Schaefer, Mark E.Bastin, Neil Roberts, Katie Overy.

Improves gait of stroke patients

According to this study, music therapy is beneficial for improving gait in stroke patients.

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2010 PubMed

Title and authors

Music therapy for acquired brain injury

Joke Bradt, Wendy L Magee, Cheryl Dileo, Barbara L Wheeler, Emer McGilloway.

Improves movement in patients with Parkinson's disease

In a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, it was found that music therapy was able to improve the movement of patients with Parkinson’s disease.

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2000 Psychosomatic Medicine
Title and authors

Active Music Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease: An Integrative Method for Motor and Emotional Rehabilitation

Claudio Pacchetti MD, Francesca Mancini MD, Roberto Aglieri MD, Cira Fundaro MD, Emilia Martignoni MD, Giuseppe Nappi MD.

 

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Benefits of music on boosting exercise

Exercise

Speeds up reaction time and improves multisensory processing

In this study, musicians were found to react faster to external stimuli and have “a statistical advantage when responding to multisensory stimuli compared to non-musicians”.

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2017 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Musicians react faster and are better multisensory integrators

Simon P.Landry, François Champoux.

Strengthens breathing and swallowing muscles

In a study published in the Journal of Disability and Rehabilitation, it was shown that singing was able to help those with Parkinson’s disease maintain the muscle strength of their respiratory, swallowing, and voice muscles.

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2016 Journal of Disability and Rehabilitation
Title and authors

Effects of singing on voice, respiratory control and quality of life in persons with Parkinson’s disease

Elizabeth L. Stegemöller, Hollie Radig, Paul Hibbing, Judith Wingate, Christine Sapienza.

Helps post-workout recovery

Listening to slow music after a workout helps with the post-workout recovery as mentioned in a study from Narayana Medical College.

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2010 PubMed
Title and authors

Effect of different musical tempo on post-exercise recovery in young adults

D Savitha, Reddy N Mallikarjuna, Chythra Rao.

Makes exercise seem easier

A study published in the journal Frontiers was able to determine that listening to high-tempo music during endurance training exercises like walking was able to reduce the perceived effort of performing the exercise.

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2020 Frontiers
Title and authors

The Psychophysiological Effects of Different Tempo Music on Endurance Versus High-Intensity Performances

Vittoria Maria Patania, Johnny Padulo, Enzo Iuliano, Luca Paolo Ardigò, Dražen Čular, Alen Miletić, Andrea De Giorgio.

Makes people run faster

According to one study, runners who listened to fast motivational songs ran faster than those who listened to calm music or no music at all.

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2015 Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research
Title and authors

How Does Music Aid 5 km of Running?

Marcelo Bigliassi, Umberto Leon Dominguez, Cosme Buzzachera, Vinicius Barreto Silva, Leandro Altimari.

 

Increases endurance

Music is a natural energizer. In fact, according to a study from Brunel University, listening to music while exercising increases endurance by as much as 15%.

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2008 Brunel University
Title and authors

Does Music Really Increase Exercise Endurance? Yes, By 15 Percent

Dr. Costas Karageorghis.

Makes people exercise with higher intensity

A study of male college students showed that while riding stationary bicycles, the participants who listened to fast music worked harder in their exercise.

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2010 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of music tempo upon submaximal cycling performance

J Waterhouse, P Hudson, B Edwards.

Makes exercise seem easier

This study found that listening to upbeat music makes rigorous exercise seem easier, even for people who are insufficiently active.

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2019 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Let’s Go: Psychological, psychophysical, and physiological effects of music during sprint interval exercise

Matthew J.Storka, Costas I.Karageorghis, Kathleen A.Martin Ginis.

Positively effects exercise

A review of current studies showed that listening to music during physical activities enhances physical performance, reduces perceived exertion, and improves physiological efficiency.

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2020 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of music in exercise and sport: A meta-analytic review

Peter C Terry, Costas I Karageorghis, Michelle L Curran, Olwenn V Martin, Renée L Parsons-Smith.

Helps obese children with endurance while running

Researchers observed that listening to music while exercising on a treadmill increased the endurance of obese children.

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2002 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of distraction on treadmill running time in severely obese children and adolescents

I De Bourdeaudhuij, G Crombez, B Deforche, F Vinaimont, P Debode, J Bouckaert.

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Benefits of music on breathing

Breathing

Alleviates some respiratory diseases

A study from Mount Sinai Beth Israel found that when patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease participated in music therapy involving wind instruments, they reported improvement with their symptoms, psychological well-being, and quality of life compared to patients who received rehabilitation alone.

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2015 Respiratory Medicine
Title and authors

AIR: Advances in Respiration – Music therapy in the treatment of chronic pulmonary disease

Bernardo Canga, Ronit Azoulay, Jonathan Raskin, Joanne Loewy.

Helps with breathing

Singing lessons for patients with respiratory symptoms were able to improve the breathing and mood of the participants.

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2018 PubMed
Title and authors

Singing Lessons for Respiratory Health: A Literature Review

Rachel B Goldenberg.

Offers various benefits to quadriplegic patients

Group singing sessions were able to improve respiratory function, voice, mood, and quality of life in quadriplegic participants.

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2013 PubMed
Title and authors

Effect of singing on respiratory function, voice, and mood after quadriplegia: a randomized controlled trial

Jeanette Tamplin, Felicity A Baker, Denise Grocke, Danny J Brazzale, Jeffrey J Pretto, Warren R Ruehland, Mary Buttifant, Douglas J Brown, David J Berlowitz.

Helps respiration in Parkinson's patients

Parkinson’s disease patients were able to improve their voice, respiratory control, and quality of life using singing. 

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2017 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of singing on voice, respiratory control and quality of life in persons with Parkinson’s disease

Elizabeth L Stegemöller, Hollie Radig, Paul Hibbing, Judith Wingate, Christine Sapienza.

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Benefits of music on brain function

Brain Function

Accelerates brain development

A study published in the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience presented evidence that music education can accelerate the development of the part of the brain responsible for auditory function.

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2016 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
Title and authors

Neural correlates of accelerated auditory processing in children engaged in music training

Assal Habibi, B. Rael Cahn, Antonio Damasio, Hanna Damasio.

Improves brain circulation

A study from the University of Liverpool was able to determine that musical training is capable of improving brain circulation.

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2014 Frontiers
Title and authors

Inferring common cognitive mechanisms from brain blood-flow lateralization data: a new methodology for fTCD analysis

Georg F. Meyer, Amy Spray, Jo E. Fairlie, Natalie T. Uomini.

Helps preserve brain function

According to this study, music training has a lasting positive impact on the aging process. Age-related delays in neural timing can be avoided or offset with musical training.

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2012 ResearchGate
Title and authors

Musical experience offsets age-related delays in neural timing

Alexandra Parbery-Clark, Samira Anderson, Emily Hittner, Nina Kraus.

Improves mental functioning in the elderly

In a study published in PLOS, elderly people with minimal music experience showed an improvement in cognitive flexibility and working memory after six months of piano instruction.

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2014 PLOS One
Title and authors

Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-Musicians

Jennifer Zuk, Christopher Benjamin, Arnold Kenyon, Nadine Gaab.

Helps with stroke recovery

Music has been determined to have rejuvenating properties even for a brain that is traumatized. In one study from the University of Helsinki, stroke patients who listened to music experienced significant improvements in mood, attention, and memory.

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2008 Brain
Title and authors

Music listening enhances cognitive recovery and mood after middle cerebral artery stroke

Teppo Särkämö, Mari Tervaniemi, Sari Laitinen, Anita Forsblom, Seppo Soinila, Mikko Mikkonen, Taina Autti, Heli M. Silvennoinen, Jaakko Erkkilä, Matti Laine, Isabelle Peretz, Marja Hietanen.

Prevents age-related hearing decline in the brain

Musicians experience less age-related hearing decline in the brain compared to those without a music background.

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2012 PubMed
Title and authors

Musicians experience less age-related decline in central auditory processing


Benjamin Rich Zendel, Claude Alain.

Protects against dementia & cognitive impairment

A study of 157 pairs of twins showed that playing a musical instrument helps to protect against dementia and cognitive impairment.

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2014 PubMed
Title and authors

Playing a Musical Instrument as a Protective Factor against Dementia and Cognitive Impairment: A Population-Based Twin Study

M Alison Balbag, Nancy L Pedersen, Margaret Gatz.

Stimulates and protects the brain

A study from the University of Helsinki showed that listening to classical music enhanced the activity of genes involved in the brain’s dopamine secretion and transport, synaptic neurotransmission, learning, memory, and decreases the activity of genes responsible for brain degeneration.

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2015 University of Helsinki
Title and authors

Listening to classical music modulates genes that are responsible for brain functions

Dr. Irma Järvelä.

Improves visual attention in stroke patients

Researchers observed that when stroke patients listened to pleasant music their ability to focus visually on important details increased.

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2013 PubMed
Title and authors

Pleasant music improves visual attention in patients with unilateral neglect after stroke

Mei-Ching Chen, Pei-Luen Tsai, Yu-Ting Huang, Keh-Chung Lin.

Helps reduce seizure frequency in epileptic patients

Listening to music from Mozart when added with medication, was able to reduce the frequency of seizures in epileptic patients.

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2020 Wiley
Title and authors

Daily listening to Mozart reduces seizures in individuals with epilepsy: A randomized control study

Marjan Rafiee, Kramay Patel, David M. Groppe, Danielle M. Andrade, Eduard Bercovici, Esther Bui, Peter L. Carlen,  Aylin Reid ,Peter Tai, Donald Weaver,  Richard Wennberg, Taufik A. Valiante.

Helps in stroke rehabilitation

Music therapy sessions have a positive effect on the neurorehabilitation of stroke patients as well as improving their mood, according to this study.

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2020 Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
Title and authors

Neurologic music therapy in multidisciplinary acute stroke rehabilitation: Could it be feasible and helpful?

Alexander Street, Jufen Zhang, Susan Pethers, Lydia Wiffen, Katie Bond, Helen Palmer.

Improves stroke patients' visual attention

Researchers showed that stroke patients improved their visual attention, or the ability to focus on visually relevant subjects, when they listened to classical music.

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2013 AJOT
Title and authors

Listening to Classical Music Ameliorates Unilateral Neglect After Stroke

Pei-Luen Tsai, Mei-Ching Chen, Yu-Ting Huang, Keh-Chung Lin, Kuan-Lin Chen, Yung-Wen Hsu.

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Benefits of music on the immune system

Immune System

Increases antibody production

In a study from Willamette University, it was found that people who actively participated in musical activity had increased antibody production which could correspond to an increase in immune function.

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2002 PubMed
Title and authors

The effects of active and passive participation in musical activity on the immune system as measured by salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA)

Dawn Kuhn.

Improves ability to fight infections

In the journal for Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, a study was presented showing that drumming can increase the activity of circulating white blood cells in our body thereby increasing our ability to fight infections.

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2001 PubMed
Title and authors

Composite effects of group drumming music therapy on modulation of neuroendocrine-immune parameters in normal subjects

B B Bittman, L S Berk, D L Felten, J Westengard, O C Simonton, J Pappas, M Ninehouser.

Strengthens the immune system

This study found that listening to music can protect people against infections since it can increase the production of immune cells in the body.

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2014 PubMed
Title and authors

Mozart, music and medicine

Ernest K J Pauwels, Duccio Volterrani, Giuliano Mariani, Magdalena Kostkiewics.

Increases antibodies

In this study, 30 minutes of listening to soothing music was shown to increase the antibody levels found in saliva.

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1998 Sage
Title and authors

Effect of Music and Auditory Stimuli on Secretory Immunoglobulin a (IGA)


Carl J. Charnetski, Francis X. Brennan, Jr., James F. Harrison.

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Benefits on music on mood

Mood

Improves mood and reduces feelings of burnout

In a study involving 112 long-term care workers, those who participated in group drumming with keyboard accompaniment showed improvement in mood and reduced feelings of burnout.

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2003 PubMed
Title and authors

Recreational Music-Making: A Cost-Effective Group Interdisciplinary Strategy for Reducing Burnout and Improving Mood States in Long-Term Care Workers

Barry Bittman, MD, Karl T. Bruhn, Christine Stevens, MSW, MT-BC, James Westengard,Paul O. Umbach, MA.

Enhances quality of life at school

In this study it was found that music education has an overall positive effect on the social aspects of schooling.

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2013 Music Education Research
Title and authors

Extended music education enhances the quality of school life

Päivi-Sisko Eerola, Tuomas Eerola.

Improves quality of life in older people

In a study of health promotion in older people, measures of health and quality of life were consistently higher among those who participated in group singing than among the non-singing group.

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2011 PubMed
Title and authors

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a participative community singing programme as a health promotion initiative for older people: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Ann Skingley, Stephen M Clift, Simon P Coulton, John Rodriguez.

Improves quality of life in people with dementia

According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, dementia patients who participated in group singing activities reported improved quality of life.

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2018 NCBI
Title and authors

The Effects of Music Therapy-Singing Group on Quality of Life and Affect of Persons With Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Heeyoun Kim Cho.

Improves well-being in terminally ill patients

A structured singing experience improved the psychological well-being of hospice patients.

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2019 Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Title and authors

Case Studies of a Structured Singing Experience for the Psychological Well-Being of Hospice Patients

Ji Eun Oh, Hyun Ju Chong, Aimee Jeehae Kim.

Increases happiness

The journal Nature published a study stating that listening to music causes an increased release of dopamine. Dopamine is the same neurotransmitter that’s released when we feel happy, so this demonstrates a relationship between music and its pleasurable effects.

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2011 Nature
Title and authors

Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music

Valorie N Salimpoor, Mitchel Benovoy, Kevin Larcher, Alain Dagher, Robert J Zatorre.

Makes people perceive others as happier

According to a study published in the journal Neuroscience Letters, those who listened to happy music perceive other people’s faces as being happier.

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2009 ResearchGate
Title and authors

Crossmodal transfer of emotion by music

Nidhya Logeswaran, Joydeep Bhattacharya.

Relieves sadness

A study from the British Academy of Sound Therapy was able to determine that listening to music for as little as 13 minutes helped improve sadness in study participants.

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2019 The British Academy of Sound Therapy
Title and authors

Using Music as Medicine – finding the optimum music listening ‘dosage’

Lyz Cooper MA, MSc.

Improves symptoms of depression

Participants receiving music therapy as well as standard care showed greater improvement with their depression than those receiving standard care only.

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2011 PubMed
Title and authors

Individual music therapy for depression: randomised controlled trial

Jaakko Erkkilä, Marko Punkanen, Jörg Fachner, Esa Ala-Ruona, Inga Pöntiö, Mari Tervaniemi, Mauno Vanhala, Christian Gold.

Reduces depression in children

In a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, researchers found that Music therapy reduces depression in children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems.

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2016 The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Title and authors

Music therapy for children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems: a randomized controlled trial

Sam Porter, Tracey McConnell, Katrina McLaughlin, Fiona Lynn, Christopher Cardwell,  Hannah‐Jane Braiden, Jackie Boylan, Valerie Holmes.

Helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder

A study was able to show that music therapy is effective in alleviating distress for elderly patients with seasonal affective disorder.

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2014 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of five-element music therapy on elderly people with seasonal affective disorder in a Chinese nursing home

Xifang Liu, Xin Niu, Qianjin Feng, Yaming Liu

Improves mood while driving

A study published in the journal Ergonomics was able to show that listening to music while driving improves mood which in turn translates to better road and driving safety.

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2012 Ergonomics
Title and authors

The influence of music on mood and performance while driving

Marjolein D van der Zwaag, Chris Dijksterhuis, Dick de Waard, Ben L J M Mulder, Joyce H D M Westerink, Karel A Brookhuis.

Improves the mood of children with cancer

Children who participated in interactive music therapy reported improvement of mood and a noticeable positive effect on play.

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2002 Wiley
Title and authors

The effects of interactive music therapy on hospitalized children with cancer: a pilot study

Maru E. Barrera, Mary H. Rykov, Sandra L. Doyle.

Helps the elderly with the symptoms of depression

An extensive review of randomized controlled trials showed that music has a significant effect on improving the symptoms of depression in elderly patients.

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2016 PubMed
Title and authors

A systematic review and meta-analysis of music therapy for the older adults with depression

K Zhao, Z G Bai, A Bo, I Chi.

Reduces symptoms of depression in adults

Listening to music over the span of three weeks reduced depressive symptoms in adult participants.

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2011 PubMed
Title and authors

The effectiveness of music listening in reducing depressive symptoms in adults: a systematic review

Moon Fai Chan , Zi Yang Wong, N V Thayala.

Improves quality of life of children undergoing treatment

In this study, music therapy was shown to increase the health‐related quality of life scores in children undergoing stem cell transplantation.

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2018 Wiley
Title and authors

Music therapy supported the health‐related quality of life for children undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplants

L Uggla, L‐O Bonde, U Hammar, B Wrangsjö, B Gustafsson.

Reduces stress and improves wellbeing in health practitioners

According to this study, clinical staff responding to COVID-19 outbreak in Italy reported improvements in their levels of tiredness, sadness, fear, and worry after undergoing music therapy.

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2020 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Receptive music therapy to reduce stress and improve wellbeing in Italian clinical staff involved in COVID-19 pandemic: A preliminary study

Filippo Giordanoa, Elide Scarlatab, Mariagrazia Baronic, Eleonora Gentiled, Filomena Puntilloe, Nicola Brienzaf, Loreto Gesualdog.

Improves happiness in late adolescents

A study involving 229 late adolescents demonstrated that listening to music they liked lead to general happiness in life.

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2013 ResearchGate
Title and authors

Music Listening Motivation Is Associated With Global Happiness in Canadian Late Adolescents

Amélie Morinville, Dave Miranda, Patrick Gaudreau.

Reduces depressive symptoms associated with dementia

Based on several reviews of studies, it was determined that at least five sessions of music therapy were able to reduce symptoms of depression in patients with dementia.

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2018 Cochrane
Title and authors

Music-based therapeutic interventions for people with dementia

van der Steen JT, Smaling HJA, van der Wouden JC, Bruinsma MS, Scholten RJPM, Vink AC.

Enhances the effect of standard treatment for depression

This study states that the addition of music therapy to standard treatment for depression is a safe and effective intervention to implement.

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2017 PubMed
Title and authors

Music therapy for depression

Sonja Aalbers, Laura Fusar-Poli, Ruth E Freeman, Marinus Spreen, Johannes Cf Ket, Annemiek C Vink, Anna Maratos, Mike Crawford, Xi-Jing Chen, Christian Gold.

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Benefits of music on anxiety

Anxiety

Reverses the effects of stress at a DNA level

Making music reduces the subjective feeling of stress and reverses the body’s response to stress at the DNA-level.

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2005 ResearchGate
Title and authors

Recreational music-making modulates the human stress response: A preliminary individualized gene expression strategy


Barry Bittman, Lee Berk, Mark Shannon, Muhammad Sharaf.

Relaxes the body

In a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, it was stated that using classical music as an intervention was able to decrease heart rate, lower blood pressure and slow down respiration thereby providing an overall relaxing effect to the body.

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2013 PubMed
Title and authors

The psychoneuroimmunological effects of music: a systematic review and a new model

Daisy Fancourt, Adam Ockelford, Abi Belai.

Decreases stress levels

In one study it was shown that those who listened to self-selected or classical music experience decreased levels of stress compared to those who listened to heavy metal music or just silence.

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2007 Springer
Title and authors

Coping with Stress: The Effectiveness of Different Types of Music

Elise Labbé, Nicholas Schmidt, Jonathan Babin, Martha Pharr.

Decreases cortisol levels

A study published in Mcgill shows that listening to music decreases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.

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2013 McGill
Title and authors

Major health benefits of music uncovered

Prof. Daniel J. Levitin of McGill University’s Psychology Dept.

Is an effective stress relief intervention

A study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology stated that listening to music was able to reduce physiological markers for stress.

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2015 PubMed
Title and authors

Music listening as a means of stress reduction in daily life


Alexandra Linnemann, Beate Ditzen, Jana Strahler, Johanna M Doerr, Urs M Nater.

Reduces stress hormone levels

A study from The National Center for Biotechnology Information showed that listening to music reduced the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the study participants.

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2013 PLOS
Title and authors

The Effect of Music on the Human Stress Response

Myriam V. Thoma, Roberto La Marca, Rebecca Brönnimann, Linda Finkel, Ulrike Ehlert, Urs M. Nater.

Reduces pre-surgery anxiety

The anxiety-reducing effects of music are so strong it is even used to help with pre-surgery anxiety. This study published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice explores the effect of different types of music on pre-surgery anxiety.

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2018 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

The effect of different types of music on patients’ preoperative anxiety: A randomized controlled trial

Gülay Altun Uğraş, Güven Yıldırım, Serpil Yüksel, Yusuf Öztürkçü, Mustafa Kuzdere, Seher Deniz Öztekin.

Decreases stress levels during day surgery

In a study published in the British Journal of Surgery, researchers found that music is effective in decreasing the levels of stress a patient experiences during a day operation.

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2007 BJS
Title and authors

Randomized clinical trial examining the effect of music therapy in stress response to day surgery

S. Leardi, R. Pietroletti, G. Angeloni, S. Necozione, G. Ranalletta, B. Del Gusto.

Reduces anxiety prior to minor surgery

Music can also be used for minor procedures to reduce anxiety and help with patient sedation according to the study published in the journal Applied Nursing Research.

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2002 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

The effect of self-selected music during colonoscopy on anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure

Dianne Smolen, Robert Topp, Lynda Singer.

Decreases anxiety and depression in dementia patients

In another study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the use of music therapy on Alzheimer’s patients was able to decrease anxiety and depression in both self-report and salivary markers for stress.

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2018 The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Title and authors

Does Music Therapy Improve Anxiety and Depression in Alzheimer’s Patients?

José Enrique de la Rubia Ortí, María Pilar García-Pardo, Carmen Cabañés Iranzo, José Joaquin Cerón Madrigal, Sandra Sancho Castillo, Mariano Julián Rochina, Vicente Javier Prado Gascó.

Relieves anxiety and fatigue in cancer patients

Cancer patients experiencing anxiety and fatigue experienced relief while undergoing music therapy. This was stated in a study by Drexel University published by Cochrane.

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2016 Cochrane
Title and authors

Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients

Joke Bradt, Cheryl Dileo, Lucanne Magill, Aaron Teague.

Reduces anxiety in heart attack patients

Music was proven to be effective in relieving stress in patients with presumptive myocardial infarction or heart attacks based on a study published in the Journal of Critical Care.

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1989 Euro PMC
Title and authors

Effects of relaxation and music therapy on patients in a coronary care unit with presumptive acute myocardial infarction.

Guzzetta CE.

Lowers anxiety in children with cancer

Children diagnosed with cancer and under isolation showed positive results with music therapy in resolving their anxiety according to a study published in the journal Music Therapy.

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1989 Oxford
Title and authors

Music Therapy as an Intervention for Children with Cancer in Isolation Rooms

Warren Brodsky.

Reduces anxiety in stroke patients

A study from the journal Rehabilitation Nursing was able to show that having stroke patients listen to music even for just an hour reduced their anxiety scores during acute rehabilitation.

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2019 Rehabilitation Nursing
Title and authors

Music as a Therapy to Alleviate Anxiety During Inpatient Rehabilitation for Stroke

Maureen Le Danseur, April D Crow, Sonja E Stutzman, Marcos D Villarreal, DaiWai M Olson. 

 

Reduces anxiety as efficiently as oral medication prior to surgery

According to this study, the effects of relaxing music on patients’ anxiety prior to surgery were comparable to orally given medications without apparent adverse effects.

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2009 PubMed
Title and authors

Relaxing music as pre-medication before surgery: a randomised controlled trial

H Bringman, K Giesecke, A Thörne, S Bringman.

Helps relieve stress and anxiety during pregnancy

Music therapy was found to reduce psychological stress, anxiety, and depression in a study of 236 pregnant women.

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2008 Journal of Clinical Nursing
Title and authors

Effects of music therapy on psychological health of women during pregnancy


Mei‐Yueh Chang, Chung‐Hey Chen, Kuo‐Feng Huang.

Calms patients who are on a ventilator

This study’s findings showed that patients on mechanical ventilation showed greater relaxation when they listened to one 30 minute session of music.

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2005 Wiley
Title and authors

Music and its effect on the physiological responses and anxiety levels of patients receiving mechanical ventilation: a pilot study

On Kei Angela Lee RN, Yuet Foon Loretta Chung BHS, MEd, PhD, RN, RM, RSCN,  Moon Fai Chan PhD,  Wai Ming Chan MRCP.

Reduces agitation of patients with dementia

When music therapists played dementia patients familiar music, patients showed a marked decline in symptoms of agitation.

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2014 Nursing Times
Title and authors

Music therapy to reduce
agitation in dementia

Jacqueline Craig is a staff nurse at
Nottingham University Hospitals Trust.

Increases oxytocin levels in post-op patients

Following open-heart surgery, patients who were played soothing music exhibited increased levels of the relaxing hormone oxytocin.

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2009 PubMed
Title and authors

Soothing music can increase oxytocin levels during bed rest after open-heart surgery: a randomised control trial

Ulrica Nilsson.

Decreases anxious thoughts in cancer patients

Randomised trials suggest that music therapy is accepted by patients and associated with improved psychological outcomes by decreasing anxiety and troubling thoughts.

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2012 PubMed
Title and authors

Music interventions for psychological and physical outcomes in cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Jun-Mei Zhang , Pu Wang, Jia-xin Yao, Lei Zhao, Mellar P Davis, Declan Walsh, Guang H Yue.

Calms adults who have dental anxiety

A systemic review of many studies shows that listening to music before a dental procedure decreases the feeling of anxiety.

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2011 PubMed
Title and authors

Effectiveness of music interventions on dental anxiety in paediatric and adult patients: a systematic review

Sandeep Moola, Alan Pearson, Christina Hagger.

Calms older adults with dementia

Allowing the participants of this study, who were older adults with dementia, to listen to their preferred music lowered their anxiety score.

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2010 PubMed
Title and authors

A preferred music listening intervention to reduce anxiety in older adults with dementia in nursing homes

Huei-Chuan Sung , Anne M Chang, Wen-Li Lee.

Helps with preoperative anxiety

Music therapy is an effective complementary treatment to prepare patients to undergo invasive procedures by lowering their anxiety.

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2010 PubMed
Title and authors

The influence of music therapy on preoperative anxiety in pediatric oncology patients undergoing invasive procedures

Filippo Giordanoa, Barbara Zanchib, FrancescoDe Leonardisa, Chiara Rutiglianoa, Flavia Espositoc, NicolaBrienzad, NicolaSantoroa.

Reduces anxiety associated with surgery

Patient preferred music is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety related to postoperative surgery.

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2020 PubMed
Title and authors

Effect of favorite music on postoperative anxiety and pain

F Kavak Akelma, S Altınsoy, M T Arslan, J Ergil.

Calms patients on chemotherapy

Three sessions of music therapy were able to significantly reduce the level of anxiety in chemotherapy patients.

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2020 PubMed
Title and authors

Effectiveness of music therapy in reducing the level of anxiety among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Aulia Insani Latif, Nurun Salaman Alhidayat, Satria Hanggara Putra, Kadek Ayu Erika, Syahrul Ningrat, Syahrul Syahrul.

Alleviates anxiety associated with biopsies

Music therapy before and during biopsy was able to decrease blood pressure, heart rate, pain, and anxiety in patients.

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2018 PubMed
Title and authors

Music for reducing the anxiety and pain of patients undergoing a biopsy: A meta-analysis

Mingzhi Song, Nanyang Li, Xianbin Zhang, Yuru Shang, Litao Yan, Jin Chu, Ran Sun, Yun Xu.

Relaxes patients with COPD

Listening to music was more effective in relaxing patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than progressive muscle relaxation.

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2009 PubMed
Title and authors

Comparison of the effectiveness of music and progressive muscle relaxation for anxiety in COPD–A randomized controlled pilot study

Vijay Pratap Singh, V Rao, Prem V, Sahoo R C, Keshav Pai K.

Calms infant distress

Researchers concluded that singing familiar songs to infants reduced their levels of distress.

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2020 PubMed
Title and authors

Familiar songs reduce infant distress

Laura K Cirelli, Sandra E Trehub.

Can be an alternative to pre-op anxiety medication

This study has found that listening to music prior to anesthesia is an effective alternative to sedative medication for relieving anxiety.

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2019 BMJ
Title and authors

Music versus midazolam during preoperative nerve block placements: a prospective randomized controlled study


Veena Graff, Lu Cai, Ignacio Badiola, Nabil M Elkassabany.

Helps with Generalised Anxiety Disorder

Patients who participated in music therapy showed significant improvement in their levels of anxiety.

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2015 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Music therapy in generalized anxiety disorder

Enrique Octavio Flores Gutiérrez M.D, Ph.D. Víctor Andrés Terán Camarena B.A.

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Benefits of music on sleep

Sleep

Improves sleep quality

A study published in the journal Scientific Reports determined that listening to relaxing music prior to a nap improved both subjective and objective markers for sleep in some participants.

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2019 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of Relaxing Music on Healthy Sleep

Maren Jasmin Cordi, Sandra Ackermann, Björn Rasch.

Reduces sleeping issues

A study published by the Journal of Advanced Nursing was able to demonstrate that relaxing classical music is an effective intervention in reducing sleeping problems.

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2008 PubMed
Title and authors

Music improves sleep quality in students

László Harmat, Johanna Takács, Róbert Bódizs.

Can improve chronic insomnia

A study was able to demonstrate that listening to music for 45 minutes before sleep for four days shortened stage 2 sleep duration while extending REM sleep which translates to improved sleep in adults with chronic insomnia.

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2012 PubMed
Title and authors

The effects of music on the sleep quality of adults with chronic insomnia using evidence from polysomnographic and self-reported analysis: a randomized control trial

En-Ting Chang, Hui-Ling Lai, Pin-Wen Chen, Yuan-Mei Hsieh, Li-Hua Lee.

Is effective for both acute and chronic insomnia

Music therapy, when used in adult participants, was able to improve both acute and chronic sleep disorders according in an analysis of randomised studies.

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2014 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Music therapy improves sleep quality in acute and chronic sleep disorders: A meta-analysis of 10 randomized studies

Chun-Fang Wang, Ying-Li Sun, Hong-Xin Zang.

Decreases sleep onset, lessens night time awakenings and increases sleep satisfaction

A study of 52 women was able to determine that music therapy decreased the time for sleep onset, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased overall sleep satisfaction.

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2003 PubMed
Title and authors

The use of music to promote sleep in older women

Julie E Johnson.

Improves sleep quality and duration in older adults

Music therapy improved the quality and length of sleep in older adults.

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2005 PubMed
Title and authors

Music improves sleep quality in older adults

Hui-Ling Lai, Marion Good.

Reduces the anaesthesia needed to reach sedation

The study shows that listening to music during surgery under regional anesthesia reduces the sedative requirements to reach light sedation.

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2011 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of Music Listening on Cortisol Levels and Propofol Consumption during Spinal Anesthesia

Stefan Koelsch, Julian Fuermetz, Ulrich Sack, Katrin Bauer, Maximilian Hohenadel, Martin Wiegel, Udo X Kaisers, Wolfgang Heinke.

Improves sleep quality in people with sleep complaints

An analysis of several studies has shown that music assisted relaxation improves the sleep quality of patients with sleep complaints.

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2009 PubMed
Title and authors

Music-assisted relaxation to improve sleep quality: meta-analysis

Gerrit de Niet, Bea Tiemens, Bert Lendemeijer, Giel Hutschemaekers.

Reduces the amount of medication needed for sedation in children

Children undergoing procedures while being treated with music therapy required less sedatives to achieve a state of relaxation.

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2005 PubMed
Title and authors

Procedural-support music therapy in the healthcare setting: a cost-effectiveness analysis

Darcy DeLoach Walworth.

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Benefits of music on creativity

Productivity

Increases creativity

A study published in PLOS shows that listening to happy music leads to an increase in creativity as compared to working in silence.

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2017 PLOS
Title and authors

Happy creativity: Listening to happy music facilitates divergent thinking

Simone M. Ritter, Sam Ferguson.

Improves quality of work

A study observed 56 software engineers while working while either listening to music or or in silence. The study found that the quality of work improved while participants listened to music.

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2005 Sage
Title and authors

The effect of music listening on work performance

Teresa Lesiuk.

Increases productivity in repetitive tasks

This study found an increase in productivity when background music was played while a repetitive task was performed.

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1972 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Music — an aid to productivity

J.G.Fox, E.D.Embrey.

Helps with accuracy and efficiency

The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that surgeon accuracy and efficiency improved when surgeons worked with music playing especially if they were the ones who selected the songs.

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1994 JAMA
Title and authors

Effects of Music on Cardiovascular Reactivity Among Surgeons

Karen Allen, PhD; Jim Blascovich, PhD.

Makes time feel like it's moving faster

According to a study featured in the journal Frontiers, listening to pleasant music makes our perception of time seem faster, making it useful for tedious and repetitive tasks.

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2013 Frontiers
Title and authors

Music, emotion, and time perception: the influence of subjective emotional valence and arousal?

Sylvie Droit-Volet, Danilo Ramos, José L. O. Bueno, Emmanuel Bigand.

Improves the creative process

A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research determined that listening to lyric-free ambient music played at a moderate volume improves the creative process.

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2012 Journal of Consumer Research
Title and authors

Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition

Ravi Mehta, Rui (Juliet) Zhu and Amar Cheema.

Improves surgical accuracy

A review of studies published in the International Journal of Surgery showed that playing classical music at a low to medium volume can enhance the surgical task performance by improving both accuracy and speed.

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2020 PubMed
Title and authors

The influence of music on the surgical task performance: A systematic review

Michael El Boghdady, Beatrice Marianne Ewalds-Kvist.

Improves the quality of suturing by surgeons

Researchers showed that the introduction of meditation music during surgery, compared to normal surgery background noise, resulted in higher quality suturing (closing of wounds) by the surgeons.

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2019 PubMed
Title and authors

Meditation music improved the quality of suturing in an experimental bypass procedure

Sajjad Muhammad, Martin Lehecka, Justiina Huhtakangas, Behnam Rezai Jahromi, Mika Niemelä, Ahmad Hafez.

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Benefits of music for pain relief

Pain Relief

Increases pain threshold

According to a study published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, playing the drums, singing, and dancing increases endorphin levels making people more resistant to the pain experience.

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2012 PubMed
Title and authors

Performance of music elevates pain threshold and positive affect: implications for the evolutionary function of music

R I M Dunbar, Kostas Kaskatis, Ian MacDonald, Vinnie Barra.

Is effective in relieving pain

Researchers implemented an experiment which showed that a person’s preferred songs are an effective form of analgesic.

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2014 PLOS
Title and authors

Well-Loved Music Robustly Relieves Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Christine Hsieh, Jian Kong, Irving Kirsch, Robert R. Edwards, Karin B. Jensen, Ted J. Kaptchuk, Randy L. Gollub.

Relieves chronic pain

A study from the Clinical Journal of Pain was able to show that two daily sessions of listening to music helped a group of patients with chronic pain relieve the symptoms associated with their medical conditions.

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2012 PubMed
Title and authors

The effects of music intervention in the management of chronic pain: a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial

Stéphane Guétin, Patrick Giniès, Didier Kong A Siou, Marie-Christine Picot, Christelle Pommié, Elisabeth Guldner, Anne-Marie Gosp, Katelyne Ostyn, Emmanuel Coudeyre, Jacques Touchon.

Helps to reduce both acute and chronic pain

According to this study, music acts as an adjunct to opioid medication, improving and complementing results in treating physical pain compared to opioids alone.

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2017 PubMed
Title and authors

Music as an Adjunct to Opioid-Based Analgesia

Peter R Chai, Stephanie Carreiro, Megan L Ranney, Ketki Karanam, Marko Ahtisaari, Robert Edwards, Kristin L Schreiber, Lubabah Ben-Ghaly, Timothy B Erickson, Edward W Boyer.

Can reduce the need for pain medication

According to this study,  music is able to reduce the pain patients experience thereby minimising the expenses related to opioid pain medications.

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2020 PubMed
Title and authors

The Effect of Perioperative Music on Medication Requirement and Hospital Length of Stay: A Meta-analysis

Victor X Fu, Pim Oomens, Markus Klimek, Michiel H J Verhofstad, Johannes Jeekel.

Relieves pain after surgery

Patients under the study of Mount Sinai School of Medicine were able to report pain relief after spine surgery through the use of music therapy that includes live music and patient preferred songs.

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2017 Mount Sinai
Title and authors

Music Therapy Reduces Pain in Spine Surgery Patients

Joanne Loewy, DA.

Reduces pain from fibromyalgia

Another study from the Pain Management Nursing journal shows that music is an effective treatment for the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia, a condition known for its severe pain.

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2013 ScienceDirect
Title and authors

Effect of Music as Nursing Intervention for People Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia

María Dolores Onieva-Zafra PhD, Adelaida MaríaCastro-Sánchez PhD, Guillermo A.Matarán-Peñarrocha PhD, Carmen Moreno-Lorenzo PhD.

Reduces pain and anxiety after heart attacks

According to the American College of Cardiology, heart attack patients who listened to their preferred genre of music for 30 minutes a day reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and pain when tested.

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2020 ACC
Title and authors

Music as Medicine? 30 Minutes a Day Shows Benefits After Heart Attack

Predrag Mitrovic, MD, PhD, professor of cardiology at the University of Belgrade School of Medicine.

Helps children with pain related to procedures

Several studies were able to demonstrate that music can alleviate pain and anxiety in children undergoing procedures such as vaccinations and blood draws.

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2013 PubMed
Title and authors

Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: music for procedural pain

Jaden Wright, Denise Adams, Sunita Vohra.

Alleviates pain in burn patients

The use of music improved patients’ reports of pain as well as calming anxiety associated with their condition.

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2017 PubMed
Title and authors

The effects of music intervention on burn patients during treatment procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Jinyi Li, Liang Zhou, Yungui Wang.

Helps relieve pain in hospitalised adults

According to this review of several studies, music is a safe and affordable adjuvant treatment for pain in hospitalised adults.

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2012 PubMed
Title and authors

Music as an adjuvant therapy in control of pain and symptoms in hospitalized adults: a systematic review

Linda C Cole, Geri LoBiondo-Wood.

Lessens the pain of endoscopy procedures

This study involving 2,134 patients demonstrated that music significantly improves the pain scores related to endoscopic procedures.

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2014 PubMed
Title and authors

Effect of music in endoscopy procedures: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Man Cai Wang, Ling Yi Zhang, Yu Long Zhang, Ya Wu Zhang, Xiao Dong Xu, You Cheng Zhang.

Improves symptoms associated with chemotherapy

Music therapy was shown to improve the pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, and anxiety associated with chemotherapy.

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2016 Sage
Title and authors

Effects of Listening to Music on the Comfort of Chemotherapy Patients

Şebnem Bilgiç, Rengin Acaroğlu.

Alleviates the pain and anxiety from spinal surgery

This study showed that music is effective in treating the pain and anxiety associated with spinal surgery.

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2011 PubMed
Title and authors

Music therapy for patients receiving spine surgery

Pi-Chu Lin, Man-Ling Lin, Li-Ching Huang, Hsiu-Chu Hsu, Chiong-Chu Lin.

Can reduce postoperative pain in children

A review of several studies using music therapy was able to demonstrate that music significantly reduces postoperative pain, anxiety, and stress in pediatric patients.

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2015 PubMed
Title and authors

The Effects of Perioperative Music Interventions in Pediatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Marianne J E van der Heijden, Sadaf Oliai Araghi, Monique van Dijk, Johannes Jeekel, M G Myriam Hunink.

Relieves postoperative pain and relaxes patients

This study determined that recorded music and nature sounds were able to improve common manifestations of pain and anxiety while providing a means of relaxation in cardiovascular surgery patients.

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2011 PubMed
Title and authors

Effect of the combination of music and nature sounds on pain and anxiety in cardiac surgical patients: a randomized study

Brent A Bauer, Susanne A Cutshall, Patricia G Anderson, Sharon K Prinsen, Laura J Wentworth, Tammy J Olney, Penny K Messner, Karen M Brekke, Zhuo Li, Thoralf M Sundt 3rd, Ryan F Kelly.

Helps with the pain experienced in colonoscopy

Patients undergoing colonoscopy reported better levels of satisfaction and pain relief when music was added before and during the procedure.

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2019 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of easy listening music intervention on satisfaction, anxiety, and pain in patients undergoing colonoscopy: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Shuk Yee Ko, Doris Yp Leung, Eliza Ml Wong.

Alleviates pain and anxiety in cancer patients

Adding music therapy to cancer pain management was able to reduce anxiety in patients which in turn lessened their pain experience.

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2017 PubMed
Title and authors

Music and cancer pain management

Walter Igawa-Silva, Shen Wu, Rosanne Harrigan.

Aids postoperative recovery

A large systematic review of studies published in The Lancet was able to determine that listening to music after surgery relieved pain, calmed anxiety, and reduced the need for pain medication.

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2015 The Lancet
Title and authors

Music as an aid for postoperative recovery in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Jenny Hole, MBBS Martin Hirsch, MBBS Elizabeth Ball, PhD Catherine Meads, PhD.

browse by benefit type

Benefits of music on blood pressure

Heart Health

Playing a musical instrument lowers blood pressure

According to a study published in the Netherland Heart Journal, playing the guitar or a musical instrument lowers blood pressure as compared to the group that does not play a musical instrument.

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2013 PubMed
Title and authors

Neurocardiological differences between musicians and control subjects

J L I Burggraaf, T W Elffers, F M Segeth, F M C Austie, M B Plug, M G J Gademan, A C Maan, S Man, M de Muynck, T Soekkha, A Simonsz, E E van der Wall, M J Schalij, C A Swenne.

Lowers blood pressure and relaxes the body

Listening to Mozart and ABBA was shown in one study to lower heart rate and blood pressure, signifying its ability to relax the body.

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2016 NCBI
Title and authors

The Cardiovascular Effect of Musical Genres

Hans-Joachim Trappe, Prof. Dr. med., Gabriele Voit, Dr. med.

Lowers blood pressure in cardiac patients

A study featured in the American Journal of Critical Care shows that listening to music was able to reduce the blood pressure of cardiac surgery patients staying in the hospital.

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1997 AJCC
Title and authors

Effect of a music intervention on noise annoyance, heart rate, and blood pressure in cardiac surgery patients

JF Byers; KA Smyth.

Reduces heart rate, anxiety and blood pressure in cardiac patients

An extensive review of 23 studies showed that listening to music decreases heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety in cardiac patients.

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2013 Cochrane
Title and authors

Music for stress and anxiety reduction in coronary heart disease patients

Joke Bradt, Cheryl Dileo, Noah Potvin.

Reduces blood pressure in cataract surgery

In this study, it was observed that meditation music was able to lower the systolic and diastolic pressures of patients about to undergo surgery.

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2015 PubMed
Title and authors

Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Alterations through Music in Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery in Greece

Kyriakoula Merakou, Georgia Varouxi, Anastasia Barbouni, Eleni Antoniadou, Georgios Karageorgos, Dimitrios Theodoridis, Aristea Koutsouri , Jenny Kourea-Kremastinou.

Decreases both heart rate and blood pressure in coronary patients

Listening to flute music for 30 minutes a day for 20 days resulted in a noticeable decrease in heart rate and blood pressure in coronary patients.

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2014 Sage
Title and authors

Psychophysiological reactions to music in male coronary patients and healthy controls

Uma Gupta, B. S. Gupta.

Improves heart rate and oxygenation in babies

A study involving 272 babies that were exposed to either lullabies sung by parents or instruments played by a music therapist showed improvement in their health status.

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2013 Sage
Title and authors

Wellbeing and hospitalized children: Can music help?

Elena Longhi, Nick Pickett, David J. Hargreaves.

Benefits acute myocardial infarction patients

According to this study, 20 minutes of listening to relaxing music in a quiet environment improved the heart rate, respiratory rate, and myocardial oxygen demand of the patients.

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1999 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of relaxing music on cardiac autonomic balance and anxiety after acute myocardial infarction

J M White.

Helps lower blood pressure in diabetic patients

Diabetes patients who incorporated music therapy into their self-care were able to decrease their systolic blood pressure effectively.

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2013 PubMed
Title and authors

Effects of music therapy and music-assisted relaxation and imagery on health-related outcomes in diabetes education: a feasibility study

Susan E Mandel, Beth A Davis, Michelle Secic.

Lowers anxiety and pain after a heart attack

30 minutes of listening to soothing music daily reduced anxiety, pain and subsequent heart problems in heart attack patients when combined with standard therapies, according to this study.

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