A few days ago, a friend of my sister’s posted a story on Facebook. Her sister, who has been in the hospital off and on for several months,has been dealing with some very serious health issues. The past few weeks she had become unresponsive. It was devastating to my sister’s friend to see her sister in this state. One day, as she was visiting her sister, one of the nurses suggested she begin to use music to help her sister come around. So she put together some of her sister’s favorite songs, and began playing them to her at her bedside, and by God’s grace, her sister began to respond. First with small, almost imperceptible movements, but at last posting, her sister had become fully responsive.
As someone who practices several modalities of healing and exercise, I have always used music to aid in whatever I do. Healing the body though the current of sound has been in practice for as long as mankind has known how to make sound for entertainment. Today, sound and music therapy have become scientifically proven and are being used as therapy for many differing types of ailments.
Depending upon the ed result you are going for, different sounds and styles of music can be used to create a desire outcome. For example, if you are feeling tired and need a lift, then lively, upbeat music can elevate your mood and create energy. That is why people use music when they workout. On the other hand, if you need to relax and relieve stress, slower, more melodic music can be very soothing.
Research shows alpha brainwaves can be present when music plays at 60 beats per minute. This is the tempo that the brain naturally syncs into an awake and relaxed state. Slow the music a little more and the brain can be lulled to sleep. Though tempo and particular instruments can address certain issues and outcomes, not all music works the same for all people. When using sound as therapy, In order to gain the desired outcome it is important to find the style and sound of music that resonates with you. Not all styles of music produce the same effect for all ears.
Whether the sounds of nature, the indigenous or a particular instrument fancy your ear, using sound as medicine proves to be a natural healing alternative to pharmaceuticals.
