Listening to music or playing an instrument engages multiple parts of your brain — and can help your mood and memory.
Published: September, 2020
Music has the ability to soothe, energize, and even to improve your memory. And tapping into its power is as simple as turning on your radio.
Whether your choice is jazz, classical, rock ‘n’ roll, or hip-hop, music has unique effects on the brain, says Dr. Andrew Budson, a lecturer in neurology at Harvard Medical School and chief of cognitive and behavioral neurology at the VA Boston Healthcare System. And you can reap benefits whether you are playing a musical instrument or just kicking back and listening to some tunes.
“From a brain perspective, listening to music can be a very active, rich experience, almost as rich as interacting with another human being,” says Dr. Budson.
Your brain on music
When you are listening to music, multiple brain regions light up with activity, he says. The lyrics activate the language parts of the brain, but the music also engages parts of the brain related to rhythm and memory.
The same is true when you are playing a musical instrument.
“Remembering how to play music uses a different part of the brain than remembering the grocery list or recalling the trip you took to Europe last summer,” says Dr. Budson. It’s the part of your brain that stores habit-based memories, like the ones that help you ride a bicycle. “This is why if you used to play piano, or guitar, or violin — even if you haven’t picked up the instrument for 10 years — if you sit down you can get back into it with only a couple days of practice,” he says.
The unique way that musical memories are stored in the brain may explain why people with Alzheimer’s disease are sometimes able to remember music, even when other memories elude them.
“Interestingly, some people with Alzheimer’s disease can continue to play an instrument even when the dementia has reached a point where they might not be able to recall their grandchild’s name,” says Dr. Budson.
A mood booster
Another benefit of music is its mood-altering abilities. “It reaches, on a very deep and direct level, the parts of the brain that are involved with different emotions,” says Dr. Budson. Music can be happy or sad, energetic or calming, or multiple things at once. “You can have happy music that is energetic or happy music that is calming,” he says. “On the other hand, you can also find sad music that’s energetic, or sad music that’s low-energy and depressing.”
Research shows that the music you choose can alter your mood. Listening to music that is pleasant can make you feel happy.
“Music can also help you remember a happy period in your life, which is helpful as well,” says Dr. Budson.
Source: Harvard Medical School