Friday, 27 July 2012

Why Music Makes You Happy

Music is found everywhere, in the whistle of the winds or the rustle of the leaves; in the clouds, in the rain, everywhere in nature. Be it from any source, music does make you feel good. It refreshes your mind and makes you happy. Owing to its benefits on overall health, it is even used in treating ailments. Exposure to music in any way, either playing it or even listening to someone play can make you feel happy and excited.

Many a time, a certain piece of music or a particular song makes you happy because of the memories associated with it. It's the melody or the lyrics you can very well connect to and that's what makes you happy. Similarly, your interest in a particular genre of music or your skill in playing music can be the reasons behind your happiness derived from it. What type of music makes you happy depends on your interest or expertise in one of its forms. However, what brings happiness to everyone alike, is any form of good music. The blend of melody, rhythm and lyrics in music forms the basis of why music makes you happy.

Research says, that listening to music stimulates the production of dopamine in the brain. The brain reacts similarly to the sight of delicious food or anything that looks/sounds interesting. Dopamine is released even when a person just thinks of a musical piece he loves to listen to. Dopamine makes us feel motivated. This chemical binds to the dopamine receptors, and contributes to generating a feeling of happiness. This chemical is released in different areas of the brain. When a person listens to good music, more blood flows to these parts and to the nerve endings which release this chemical. It is observed that good music relaxes and opens up the endothelium of blood vessels, while listening to bad music closes the endothelium, leading to stress and mental fatigue. This is how deeply music affects the mind and brain.


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