Musings on Music, the Mind and Medicine

The Symphony of the Brain: How Different Genres Affect Us

Research by neuroscientists and music experts reveals that genres like Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, and Rap have unique effects on mood, motivation, pain perception, memory, and cognition. Jazz, known for its rhythmic complexities and harmonic tension and resolution, stimulates the dopamine reward pathway – a commonality it shares with Pop music. Interestingly, it appears that individuals might be hardwired to prefer one over the other.

Classical music, particularly the steady rhythms of Baroque compositions, has been shown to enhance memory, attention, and even spatial reasoning. It’s so effective that even the military has studied its ability to induce Delta wave brain patterns, which are associated with sleep and deep relaxation.

However, it's not all about relaxation and positive stimulation. Some music can evoke discomfort, tension, mystery, and uncertainty. These effects are often harnessed in the film industry to amplify viewers' emotional responses.

More Than Human: The Universal Language of Music

The effects of music extend beyond humans, influencing various species in different ways. For instance, canines prefer classical music over death metal when it comes to relaxation – a preference that many of us can likely relate to. But the influence of music goes even further. While the science is still emerging, some studies suggest that plants and even bacteria can be affected by music, with certain tunes promoting growth and flower production.

Perhaps the most curious case of music’s influence is found in the world of cheese-making. In a Swiss experiment, cheeses exposed to different types of music developed distinct flavours, with hip hop-conditioned cheese standing out for its unique and rich taste. This points to the intriguing possibility that every form of life on Earth could be affected by music’s diverse genres.

Strengthening the Brain’s Orchestra Through Music

When it comes to enhancing our neural pathways, active engagement with music is key. Rather than just listening, singing, playing an instrument, or dancing can activate multiple brain areas – the auditory cortex, motor cortex, and centres for emotion and memory. This leads to the formation and strengthening of neural pathways, a benefit that persists even as we age.

Tuning Into the Stats: Music’s Quantifiable Benefits

Some evidence points to significant benefits: listening to music for just 30 minutes can reduce cortisol levels, the stress hormone, by up to 20%, with classical music often leading the pack. Music also has the power to boost dopamine levels by up to 9%, enhancing mood and motivation. For the musically inclined, playing an instrument can increase cognitive function by up to 10%. But these are not reflected in all studies and other research did not find much difference between genres.

However, even while the effects of music can vary greatly among individuals, why not take the research into your own hands. Literally! Using validated cognitive tests, mood trackers, sleep trackers, and wearables to monitor personal changes when introducing music into one's routine. Here’s an idea (reach out if you’d like any help) :-

1 - Pick a wearable like Oura or Whoop or your Apple Watch, even a research-grade wearables like First Beat or Empatica. Aktila is another wrist worn device for ‘squeeze-less’ optical blood pressure.

2 - Record your HRV, heart rate, blood pressure, even your cortisol with salivary cortisol from Genova for instance through the day.

2 - Choose 3 contrasting genres you like … Spotify and Apple Music for instance have good channels: Hip Hop, Classical, Deep House. Maybe go deep into one artist for each genre even. You’ll probably remember all their lyrics by the end.

3 - Do a week each of the three genres, as much as you can through the day while you wake up, exercise, travel to work, relax at home, eat a meal, cook and wash up and going to sleep etc, noting the time you’re doing all these. Try to do the activities at the same time each day if you can. Add one week without music somewhere and without humming the tunes in your head even! Pretty hard, the last one!

4 - Compare your results like sleep scores, readiness and resting heart rates and blood pressure. And let us know what you find.

A Personal Note on the Musical Journey

My own experience with music, which began later in life and prompted me to investigate the science behind its impactful nature. My findings and personal practice underline the transformative potential that music holds for our health, well-being, and productivity.

Through this exploration, I’m reminded that whether we are consciously aware of it or not, music is a powerful tool that can enrich every aspect of our lives – from the cellular level to the vast expanses of human experience. So, the next time you press play on your favourite tune, remember that you’re not just listening to music; you’re engaging with a force that has the power to influence life itself.