If you’re a music lover, you know the power that music can have over your emotions. An upbeat number can have you dancing around your kitchen even while you’re doing the most menial of tasks. Or, a sad song can make you nostalgic for your younger days. Now, new research indicates that music may not only have power over your emotions but also over parts of the body, like the cardiovascular system.
Music and Hypertension
Over the years, several studies have been conducted on how music impacts people. In fact, past studies have indicated that music can improve heart health. The results of those studies got researchers in Brazil thinking about how music might affect blood pressure. In fact, they wondered if music might make medications for high blood pressure work better, or perhaps even relieve some of the need for them.
The Brazilian research project involved 37 participants who had been taking medication for high blood pressure for between six months and one year. The participants were asked to take their usual medicine and then spend 60 minutes listening to music through headphones. The following day, they took their medicine, then sat with the headphones on, but with no sound playing through them, for 60 minutes.
While they sat, the research team took measurements at 20, 40, and 60 minutes. The researchers discovered that when participants listened to music, they experienced a significant drop in heart rate after taking their medicine. The same effect did not happen when there was no music.
It’s unclear whether the type of music they listened to played a role as the researchers did not vary the musical genre much. The music participants listened to included instrumentals of:
-Adele’s “Hello” and “Someone Like You.”
-Chris Tomlin’s “Amazing Grace.”
-Enya’s “Water Mark.”
However, it would stand to reason that soothing music would be the best choice if lowering blood pressure is the goal.
Other Health Benefits of Music
- Music has been linked to many other possible health benefits, such as:
- Soothing pain.
- Relieving anxiety.
- Reducing stress.
- Improving memory.
If you’d like to explore the positive effects of music for your aging relative, a senior care provider can turn on soothing music throughout the day. If the older adult suffers from anxiety, a senior care provider can play their favorite music during times of heightened anxiety. A senior care provider can also turn quiet music on as bedtime approaches, which may help wind the day down so the older adult can fall asleep more easily.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in San Jose, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Sources
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
https://www.health.harvard.edu
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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