It’s a given, the brain can certainly work in ways we cannot comprehend. In numerous studies researchers have discovered just how much normal things like music can affect, and even modify, it entirely. These astounding facts about music will give you an insight into the complexity of your own mind.
1. Music gives you the chills
When you listen to music, the chills you experience are mostly caused by the brain releasing dopamine – a feel-good chemical released by the brain while anticipating the peak moment of a song. Surprisingly, this chemical is directly related to motivation. So, it’s really no wonder why music has always played such an important role in emotional events around the world since the beginning of mankind.
2. Music utilizes the entire brain!
Few activities in life can utilize the whole brain, and music is one of them. With Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI), a team of researchers documented a group of individuals who were listening to music. Results showed that listening to music activates the auditory areas, and employs large-scale neural networks within the brain. Indeed, scientists believe music can stimulate emotional, motor, and creative areas of the brain.
3. Playing music alters your brain structure
Brain plas¬tic¬ity denotes the its capacity to change through¬out life. Fluctuations asso¬ci¬ated with learn¬ing occur mostly at the con¬nec¬tions between neu¬rons. When studying musicians, it was found that the cor¬tex vol¬ume was high¬est in pro¬fes¬sional musi¬cians, inter¬me¬di¬ate in ama¬teur musicians, and lowest in non-musicians.
4. Music can be considered ‘food’ for the brain
As mentioned before, dopamine is a chemical released by the brain. This chemical is connected with the feeling of euphoria which is linked to the feeling we experience when eating. Dopamine is what enables a person to feel the pleasures of such things. A study using only instrumental music proves that anticipation for a musical rush released the same kind of reactions in the brain as anticipating the taste of food.
5. Music can significantly improve your work-out performance
Dissociation is a distracting technique which lowered the perceptions of effort. This technique can divert the mind from feelings of fatigue, and heighten positive mood states like energy and vitality. By using music during low to moderate exercise intensities, you’ll find yourself with an overall more enjoyable experience while exercising.
6. Your heartbeat changes to mimics the music you listen to
Fascinatingly, music is found to modulate heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. The cardiovascular system mirrored deflating decrescendos, and swelling crescendos in a study of 24 volunteers. Distinguishing changes in sound patterns were even found to be equipped in those as small as a developing foetus.
7. An “earworm” is a song that you can’t seem to get out of your head
An earworm is a cognitive itch in your brain. This “brain itch” is that need for the brain to fill in the gaps in a song’s rhythm. The auditory cortex is a part of your brain that will automatically fill in a rhythm of a song. In other words, your brain kept “singing” long after the song had ended.
We hope you’ve found these facts as fascinating as we did. If you feel inspired by music, why not consider going for tuition in Guernsey? Visit the School of Popular Music or contact us here to find out how we can help you.
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