Our lives are constantly surrounded by various sounds and music. We hear birds singing, dogs barking, the noise of cars, music when we watch TV, listen to the radio, etc. It is next to impossible to imagine a life without various sounds and music. And there is no need to do this, as music and various sounds decorate our life, make it brighter and more enjoyable. Music can influence our lives both positively, inspiring us, and can make us feel sad or upset. Certain songs can even impact people’s brains.

A few words about science

Nowadays, the use of the possibilities of music is put on a scientific basis. Many serious scientists are investigating the musical influence on various areas of human life. Of course, people do not wait for prompts from scientists, but simply make their favorite music a part of their lives. But still, how does music affect the human mind and bodies?

You have probably already noticed that when everything goes bad when the weather is terrible, but you suddenly hear a nice song on the radio, it can instantly cheer you up. 

Researchers have studied the neurobiological signs of the powerful effect of music on your brain. Their experiments show that a hormone such as dopamine is responsible for the resulting enthusiasm. Its effect on our brain is due not only to the fact that we become happier from listening to music, but also due to the fact that we listen to songs repeatedly.

Music is a powerful source of emotions

It is unlikely that any external stimulus can affect human mood as strongly and directly as music: music makes people cry, awakens memories, and evokes strong emotions. 

This experience can be so enjoyable that people always strive to repeat it: they listen to the radio, sing in a choir, or visit concerts. Some sing songs they like all the time because it cheers up greatly.

Even waiting to hear the notes of your favorite composition promotes an active release of dopamine. These are the conclusions reached by the study which revealed a specific link between dopamine release and musical pleasure.

The findings also offer a biological explanation for why music has been such a significant part of emotional events in cultures around the world since the beginning of human history. Valorie Salimpoor, a neuroscientist at McGill University in Montreal, says that people follow the notes of a musical composition, expecting to hear more, whether it surprises or evokes other emotions, but somehow all these little cognitive nuances give a sense of pleasure. She also underlines that we get pleasure almost entirely from dopamine.

The influence of music on the human condition

Now, let’s talk about how music affects a person in terms of work and creativity. Does music help a person to concentrate? This question is not an easy one. In order for a person to concentrate on something, it is not necessary to listen to music, because complete silence is good for better concentration, and this applies to most of us. 

However, some people, for thinking and making important decisions in the process of work, need some kind of background. The sounds of music help them not only to concentrate but also to increase their mental performance. Conversely, the impact of music on a person who tunes in to work, rather than listening to it directly during work, is in most cases positive. And only a few do not attach any importance to music as something inspiring.

How does the style of music affect a person?

Classical music is believed to have the most comprehensive influence on a person. It is also considered the most useful in its effect on the listeners. Scientists attribute a miraculous effect to classical compositions.

The masterpieces of such recognized geniuses as Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Grieg, Debussy, and Schumann are discussed widely because of the good effects they can create on a person. 

 Numerous studies have shown that classical music activates almost all parts of the cerebral cortex while increasing the intellectual level, facilitating the rapid assimilation of information, affecting mental performance, improving attention, memory, and mathematical abilities, sharpening hearing and vision. There is even a special term “Mozart effect“, which refers to the beneficial effects of music on the mental and physical abilities of a person.

Since music carries a much more powerful emotional charge than real-life events, modern psychologists are increasingly resorting to the use of music therapy. Its positive effect on the human condition can be explained at least by the fact that the reactions of our nervous system to cheerful and sentimental pieces of music are completely different. For example, after listening to a short song, people interpret a neutral facial expression as happy or sad, depending on what type of melody they have just heard.