Music is an essential part of what it means to be human. Music can be found in every culture, every society, and at every stage of mankind’s progression through time. Music is played at coffee shops, at grocery stores, and even when people are shopping for clothing. One of the reasons for this is because music affects the way a person feels. It can create an environment that is conducive to customer spending. Music has an incredible power to influence the way that people feel about themselves. It can be uplifting.
The power of music can be seen in its pervasiveness. From small tribes in the Brazilian rain forest to mega cities like New York, music is constantly heard. Music has a powerful impact on a person’s mental and spiritual health, even at a very young age. Music that is created and produced on a large scale is even said to have an impact on the mood of an entire country.
Music is a tool that can be used to dictate social norms, it is used in marketing to improve the way that a person feels about a product, and is also used to help people remember and accept new ideas. This is because music can affect and dictate the health of a person’s brain chemistry.
Studies have shown that a relationship exists between music and depression. In multiple studies, people who suffer from depression had their brains hooked up to an image scanner. The results showed that music produced positive stimuli, which had a positive effect on their mood. Similar research was done on individuals living in nursing homes.
Researchers have seen how music can help patients who are about to undergo surgery minimize their anxiety and actually detach themselves from the surgery itself. Positive music led to patients having quicker healing times and suffering less trauma.
Of course, the positive effect of music is something that everyone has experienced. All that one needs to do is think about the positive times they attach to certain songs. Music is one of the few elements that allow humans to instantly transport themselves back in time to the moment where a memory took place.
Around the United States, in places like New York City and other large metropolitan areas, music is being used as a way to encourage and uplift entire communities. Pop up pianos in New York City are allowing average citizens who have musical talent to share that talent with their neighbors by randomly playing on the piano. This has engendered a positive spirit and a spirit of community that many areas were lacking.