Classical music has a reputation not only for being erudite and enriching, but also for having a calming effect on both the body and soul of those who listen to it. Many health benefits have been connected with the practice of listening to classical music; here are ten reasons why you might want to make it a part of your daily routine.
1. It Lowers Blood Pressure
Listening to classical music has been shown to reduce a person’s stress level, which leads to a demonstrable reduction in blood pressure. One study demonstrated that people who listened to classical music had significantly lower blood pressure than those listening to other styles, such as jazz, pop and rock, as well as those not listening to music at all.
2. It Can Defeat Insomnia
Not being able to fall asleep is a terrible feeling. The rhythms and tonal patterns found in classical music, particularly the work of Brahms, Mozart, Bach, Strauss and Handel, help to put the mind in a relaxed, meditative state, allowing a person to fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer.
3. It Can Reduce Crime
Several cities have experimented with playing music at subway station. The results have been remarkable. While it not entirely clear why this effect has occurred, crime went down as much as 40 percent after those stations began playing classical music. London, Portland, Minneapolis and Toronto are just a few cities that have successfully experimented with this approach.
4. It Helps Premature Babies Grow
Studies in Israel have found that premature babies who were exposed to half an hour of Mozart a day grew more rapidly than those who were not. The music was able to relax them and boost their immune systems, encouraging the natural growth process.
5. It Helps Children’s Brains Develop
Children who listen to classical music, especially those who go on to play it on the piano or another musical instrument later, have been shown to grasp mathematical concepts more readily. They also have demonstrated higher levels of focus and better verbal and spatial intelligence.
6. It Can Inspire and Heighten Emotion
Being in touch with one’s emotions is very important to overall health, and emotional intelligence can be heightened through listening to classical music. It can help listeners to tap into their own emotions and explain them more readily. It may also allow them to delve into difficult topics that they might not otherwise discuss, thereby allowing healing to occur.
7. It Reduces Anxiety in Medical Procedures
Having medical procedures done is frequently a stressful process for patients, but those who have been able to listen to classical music while the procedure is going on have reported feeling less fear and pain during the procedure. The music serves as both a distraction and a method of relaxation.
8. It Mimics the Effects of Speech
Around the world, people forge mental and emotional connections with each other through both verbal communication and music. Classical music has emotional effects on the listener that tap into the same primal center responsible for speech. Music serves as a point of commonality for people, no matter what culture they come from.
9. It Can Alter the Brainwaves
Listening to classical music regularly for an extended period of time can begin to change the way that the brain processes the world, leading to enhanced states of relaxation. This can even happen with the music is merely on in the background.
10. It Can Create a Calming Effect
If you are feeling stressed out from your job or studies, try listening to some classical music. While its effects are most pronounced on those who enjoy this style of music, it can increase a sense of relaxation in anyone, including high salaried tax attorneys like my uncle (trust me, you don’t want to become a tax lawer). Its calming influence can be most welcome in the midst of a harried day or an anxiety inducing career.
