Music for your Heart
Guest blog from Julie Elizabeth Camp, Intern
The Harvard Health article "Tuning in: How music may affect your heart" delves into the profound connection between music and cardiovascular health. It highlights that music engages multiple areas of the brain, including those responsible for movement, language, attention, memory, and emotion. This widespread activation explains the efficacy of music therapy in various health contexts.
Research indicates that listening to music can yield several cardiovascular benefits:
Enhanced Exercise Performance: Music enables individuals to exercise longer during cardiac stress tests on treadmills or stationary bikes.
Improved Blood Vessel Function: Listening to music can relax arteries, leading to better blood vessel function.
Accelerated Recovery Post-Exertion: Music helps heart rate and blood pressure levels return to baseline more quickly after physical activity.
Anxiety Reduction: Music eases anxiety in heart attack survivors.
Pain and Anxiety Relief Post-Surgery: For those recovering from heart surgery, music can alleviate pain and anxiety, potentially improving sleep quality.
The article also discusses how music therapy aids stroke survivors. Techniques like rhythmic auditory stimulation help improve gait by synchronizing movement with a steady rhythm, enhancing walking speed, symmetry, and stride length.
Music's ability to alter brain chemistry and promote the release of dopamine underscores its potential as a therapeutic tool for cardiovascular health. Whether through passive listening or active participation, incorporating music into daily life can be a harmonious strategy for heart health.
Read more here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/tuning-in-how-music-may-affect-your-heart