Music is powerful. It can take us back to a moment in time, lift our moods, or create an atmosphere of romance. If you’ve ever felt like music has a positive effect on how you feel, you’re onto something — Harvard scientists have already written about the many potential health benefits of music. These researchers pointed out that ancient Greek, Chinese, Native American, and African cultures believed that music has healing powers. Long before music was captured on records, CDs, MP3s, or streaming services, it was being used as a powerful cure to various ailments. Here are three of the major ways music may help your health.
To Ease Pain: Try Soothing Strings
Whether your back is hurting or your joints are sore, tune into a classical music station while going about your day and you may reduce body aches, suggests a 2022 study in the journal Science. Researchers found that when they played orchestral music (specifically Bach’s “Réjouissance”), to mice, the mice felt less pain. The key was playing the music at a “sweet spot” volume of 50 decibels — the pleasant level of low background music you might hear in a fine-dining restaurant or elevator. Scientists suspect this level of sound distracts the…
