8 Reasons You Should Listen More To Classical Music

Is it true that listening to classical music is actually good for you? Looking at some of the scientific studies conducted recently, classical music does have benefits. Findings show that there are many benefits for our mental and physical health. It can stimulate the brain, improve sleep, reduce stress and also strengthen the immune system. Here are 8 reasons why you should be listening to more classical music much more often than you probably do now.

1. It makes your brain work better

At Northumbria University (UK), a research team performed some experiments on students’ brain functioning when doing tests while they listened to Vivaldi’s Spring concerto. They were answering faster and better than when they listened to the sadder Autumn concerto. The conclusion was that brain activity is improved when listening to pleasant and arousing stimuli. If you want to refresh your memory on the uplifting Vivaldi Spring concerto, you can listen to it here.

2. It helps people with dementia

If a loved one suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s, it is well worth noting the studies showing how music can help them to regain memories and enormously improve their quality of life. Watch the video here of a man who was brought back to life by listening to music he loved in the past. If your loved one was particularly fond of any music, classical or non, they can be enormously helped by listening to the same music. The explanation is that because music affects many parts of the brain, it can reawaken those parts of the brain not affected by dementia. This is especially true when the music is linked to a particular event or memory. It is fascinating to read the book by the late neurologist Oliver Sacks called Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain which explains the phenomenon and recounts many moving stories.

“People with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can respond to music when nothing else reaches them. Alzheimer’s can totally destroy the ability to remember family members or events from one’s own life—but musical memory somehow survives the ravages of disease, and even in people with advanced dementia, music can often reawaken personal memories and associations that are otherwise lost.”- Oliver Sacks

3. It can help you sleep better

There are many studies on the beneficial effects of classical music on sleep quality. One study shows that a group of students who listened to relaxing classical music were getting much better sleep quality than when they were exposed to an audio book, for example. Researchers are convinced that music is better than verbal stimuli for the purposes of relaxing body and mind before sleep.

Here is a list of some famous classical music pieces which will help you get off to sleep.

• Johann Sebastian Bach – Air on the G String
• Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight” – First movement
• Frederic Chopin – Berceuse in D flat opus 57
• Claude Debussy – Claire de Lune
• Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 5 – Adagietto
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Concerto in C major K 467 – Second movement
• Bela Bartok – Piano Concerto No. 3 – Second movement

4. It can calm you down when driving

Are you prone to road rage at times? The German government is worried about the high number of road accidents on the country’s motorways (2.4 million annually). Many of these accidents are caused by aggressive driving and road rage. To counteract this, the German Ministry of Transport has released a CD for drivers which features Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.21. played by the Minister himself! He hopes that the soothing effects of music will calm drivers down. (Fun fact: There is no word in German for road rage). Let us hope they will not need it now.

5. It can help reduce pain

Various studies show that listening to music can reduce post operative and chronic pain especially after surgery. It will never replace painkillers of course but will be a great help in reducing depression, disability and pain. The reason seems to be that it can help to tune out the pain by increasing the brain’s reward center, thereby alleviating the sensation of pain.

“One good thing about music, is when it hits you, you feel no pain.”- Bob Marley

6. It can help you express your emotions.

“If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it.” – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

Music can express what we may never be capable of verbally and thank goodness for that. We may have to struggle with anger, love, depression and many other emotions and feelings. When we connect with music, we can begin to cope. It helps us to be more honest with ourselves. Research at The Southern Methodist University shows that when listening to classical music, undergraduate students were more communicative and open about their emotions. Everyone has their favorite playlist to help them when they feel romantic, lazy or exhausted. Listening to classical music helps you express your emotions in unique ways.

“Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.” – Sigmund Freud

7. It can help blood pressure

It is fascinating to discover that cardiologists have found a connection between Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and our blood pressure levels. They found that this piece and many other classical music pieces are in natural sync with our own body’s natural rhythm and that helps to keep blood pressure at optimal levels. Professor Bernardi at the University of Pavia in Italy has done some interesting research on this.

8. It can help people on diets

You now how difficult it is to eat slowly, chew your food properly, and really enjoy it. Playing soft music and dimming lights in dining areas has been found to help people enjoy their food more and eat less! This is the main result of a study carried out at Cornell University. On the other hand, places like fast food joints use brighter lights to encourage fast eating and more profit for the business. You can improve the way you experience food by being more intentional in the way you eat, including playing soft music during meals.

We look forward to hearing about the ways you have benefited from listening to classic music. Post your stories in the comments below!

Featured photo credit: Sycamore High School March Orchestra Concert 2014/ Meredith Bell via flickr.com

BY ROBERT LOCKE

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http://www.lifehack.org/289981/8-reasons-you-should-listen-more-classical-music

5 Unexpected Health Benefits Of Love & Friendship

Most of us are aware of the fact that if we love someone and are loved in return, our overall mental health is enhanced. Happiness is healthy, plain and simple. But the benefits of loving others only get more impressive as we examine them more closely.

Typically, individual well-being is assessed in terms of how well we're doing physically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and socially. So let's take a look at how cultivating love and healthy relationships positively affects our health and well-being in these five areas:

1. Physical Health

Oxytocin, often called the "cuddle chemical," is a hormone released when we touch someone we care about. (It's also a factor in our connection with animal companions). Many of us know that this hormone increases with regular sexual intercourse, but we also have more of it in our systems when we are simply hanging out and having fun with friends.

So the more loving our connections, the more we amass this fabulous chemical, which is known to lower blood pressure, decrease stress and even boost immunity. Oxytocin reduces aches and pains, increases energy and enables us to experience life more often on the upbeat.

In fact, studies of psychology and aging show that loneliness increases blood pressure while the feeling of being "connected" lowers it. Studies also show how oxytocin overrides fear and reduces anxiety, which is why people do such great (and also "crazy") things in the name of love. Yet this chemical also improves our ability to recognize and respond appropriately to social cues and enhances all aspects of our well-being.

2. Intellectual Health

Intellectual health involves increased alertness, knowledge and common sense. Sure, we can cultivate our intellectual health with books, cultural events and other formal educational experiences. But we can also learn an incredible amount from the people we surround ourselves with.

A person who exhibits intellectual health is able to access their own gifts. From that awareness they can tap into their capacity for creativity. But it's also inarguable that our connections to others feed all of these self-discoveries. We learn through building our relationships and learning to improve our communication with others: opening up, listening to others open up, and simply having fun all sharpen our emotional intelligence.

Smart people make good decisions after some thoughtful consideration to decide how to move forward. Brainstorming often is an invaluable part of the process, whether on social media or through a tête-à-tête with a friend. Such connections increase our skill and capacity to think, respond, cultivate resilience and expand our minds.

3. Emotional Health

Studies have found that people who maintain close relationships with others are less likely to suffer from clinical depression. There's a reason, of course, which isn't often articulated: to maintain successful relationships, we will have already learned to manage our own emotions in healthy ways.

In fact, that kind of accountability to oneself is a prerequisite to successful connections. If we have already cultivated self-awareness, we most likely will also have developed social skills, including the ability to read social cues and show appreciation, care and concern for others. These skills establish the healthy ground on which relationships can thrive.

4. Spiritual Health

Let's face it: humans are imperfect and often annoying. We hurt one another's feelings. We fall into the traps of assumptions and unmet expectations. We let one another down.

But people who have successful long-term relationships practice generosity, forgiveness, patience and acceptance. Gratitude and appreciation are often said to be the most important qualities in a successful relationship, and there is much research to support this assertion. Studies suggest that communicating gratitude actually contributes to neuroplasticity — our brain's ability to make changes in response to our experiences. More generally, these are the benefits of practicing mindfulness. The more we practice being thankful, for ourselves, others and for life itself, the easier and more natural the feeling becomes.

5. Social Health

Successful relationships require us to develop particular skills: to be supportive without attempting to "fix" the problem, to communicate warmth without intruding on another's privacy and to manage conflict without damaging our connections. To understand how to traverse the slippery slope of good boundary management is essential to healthy connection. The reach of such skills extends to our relationships with other loved ones, and carries over to enhance the power and meaning of our interactions in the workplace and in community life.

In the wellness space, we're swamped by information overload about what to do and what not to do in order to remain healthy and live longer. We hear the latest about the benefits of kale and the detriments of BPA in plastic. Sometimes the information is contradictory or the research confusing, and much of it changes on a regular basis. What does stay consistent, however, is that healthy connections with others means fewer visits to the doctor, shorter stays at the hospital and a longer life span. This is undeniable.

The Beatles were right when they sang, "I just need someone to love." We all do. In fact, we need a community of people to love. It will reward us with health in all areas of our lives.

Photo Credit: Stocksy

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17284/5-unexpected-health-benefits-of-love-friendship.html

10 Health Benefits of Conscious Breathwork

Conscious Breathwork

By Bob Sima 

We all want to be healthy, vibrant, disease and pain free. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easy, free, and always available source to draw from to help us accomplish that? We watch what we eat; we exercise; we take supplements; we practice yoga. As obvious as it sounds, have you ever considered that one of the keys to optimal health is right under your nose? Who would have thought that controlling the breath (both consciously and intentionally) and breathing optimally could actually improve your health? The yogis of ancient India knew this. When we were young we were all told to take a deep breath when we got upset. Well, why did we stop at one? We innately know that it calms us down, but did you know that you could actually affect your entire autonomic nervous system with the practice of conscious breathwork?

I invite you to experience this for yourself. Try this practical exercise, while listening to the song “Breathe.”

Blow all of the air out of your lungs, pushing and squeezing it out with your stomach muscles. Go much farther than you think you can. Keep pushing, pushing, pushing. When you have nothing – and I mean nothing – left:

*   Inhale deeply through your nose, expanding the belly first (not the chest area) for a count of 4

*   Hold the breath at the top of the inhale for a 7-count

*   Release the breath through your mouth, slowly controlling the exhale for an 8-count

Realize that as this becomes a practice over time, this top 10 list of health benefits will start to materialize:

10 Health Benefits of Conscious Breathwork

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 1 – Reduce Anxiety

Most of us are in constant, low-grade stress and we tend to breathe shallow and quickly. Deep and conscious breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which kicks off the natural relaxation response. This is the exact opposite of a stress response. Breathe slower, deeper, and more consciously to reduce anxiety.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 2 – Increase Clarity and Focus

Slow, conscious breathing fully oxygenates the brain. Try three slow, deep, conscious breaths the next time you are about to make a big decision. Feel the clarity. Notice your ability to focus more intentionally on the subject at hand.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 3 – Elevate Mood

Ancient Shamanistic and Pranayama teachers in India reached altered states of consciousness through breathwork. Through a practice of noticing and, thus, controlling your breathing, you can create a consistent elevated mood with deep, slow, and conscious breaths throughout your day.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 4 – Feed Healthy Cells

Cancer can’t live… where? The 1931 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Otto Warburg who discovered that cancer cells cannot thrive in a highly oxygenated environment. A preventative measure? Take deeper breaths.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 5 – Allow Your Skin to Breathe

The skin is in! Deep, slow, conscious breaths stimulate blood flow to the skin for a more radiant and natural glow.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 6 – Promote Digestion

A relaxed body supports proper organ function. We need healthy organ function to support our body’s unmanaged and systematic activities including digestion, elimination, and absorption.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 7 – Oxidative Stress

Deliberate breathing delivers more oxygen to your tissues. This increases the amount of oxygen in the body’s tissues and reduces the risk of hundreds of diseases.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 8 – Reduce Cravings

Deep, conscious breathing can avert the need for an outside substance. Next time you reach for the diet soda (or whatever your vice is!), take three conscious breaths and ask yourself if you really want the side effects from it. Feel the empowerment within yourself. Go from substances to substance.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 9 – Lower Blood Pressure

Long, slow, deep breaths fully oxygenate the heart muscle. This reduces heart rate and blood pressure.

Conscious Breathwork Benefit 10 – Sleep Sweetly

Deep, conscious breathing is known to stimulate the pineal gland, which is associated with sleep patterns. You may also notice more lucid dreaming. 

http://omtimes.com/2014/12/10-health-benefits-conscious-breathwork/3/