Music can affect your brain in more ways than one: Here’s how  

All our lives, we are surrounded by various kinds of sound. But melodious sounds always hold a very special place in our lives, especially in our emotional journeys. It could be anything from the chirping of birds and the crashing of waves to the vocals or instrumentals that play on our sound systems. But music is not just appealing to our mind and ears, it’s scientifically proven to help us soothe. How? Well, music provides a holistic ‘exercise’ to the brain, and this can aid in increasing reading skills, memory, and the ability to focus.  

 How does your brain decode music?  
To understand how music positively affects our brain, it is essential to understand how our brains hear and create music. Simply put, vibrations from a sound source travel through the atmosphere to reach our ears. Once these vibrations hit the eardrum, they are converted into electrical signals by the auditory nerve. These signals then go to the brain stem where they are reconstructed into what we experience as music. According to scientists, listening to music reduces your stress levels, which may result in greater focus. This implies that listening to music could be helpful when you're trying to focus or when you need to pay attention and relax!  

Music and your brain 
Apparently, music does impact the way our brain functions. Studies have found that musicians have improved activity in those parts of the brain that control our auditory (hearing), visual (seeing) and motor (movement) capabilities. Music affects the physical size of several brain regions and influences their function too. So, now we know, the more you practise music the more powerful your brain will become! Listening to music improves the following aspects of your brain in particular. 

Auditory capacity: The auditory system can process sounds more efficiently after receiving musical instruction. People can distinguish more minor changes in frequency (number of sound waves per second). 

Motor control: The portions of the brain that regulate the muscles and body parts associated with instruments (such as the fingers and lips) grow in size. In these brain regions, more neurons (nerve cells) are formed for controlling muscular action in body parts involved in playing music. 

Benefits of music in our daily lives 
Here are a few ways how music effectively impacts your everyday life. 

Improves mental health 
Listening to music might reduce some signs of depression and improve your overall mood. It can also increase the release of dopamine and serotonin, hormones that make you feel good. 

Helps you work out harder 
You could be underestimating the power of your exercise soundtrack. But you shouldn’t. While working out, you may improve your physical performance and endurance by listening to upbeat music. Simply put, it makes exercising more enjoyable!  

Boosts memory 
Every part of the brain is stimulated by music. A study conducted by the Harvard Medical School study in 2015 found that performing and listening to music activates brain regions related to memory, thinking, speech, emotion and reward. Also, those suffering from strokes or other brain ailments may find singing lyrics particularly beneficial! 

Fosters human bonding 
Live performances may create a bond of friendship among the audience. The shared activity of listening to music creates social interaction.