Galamsey fight; genuine or a sham?

Why you need to listen to music.

 

Can you imagine a world without music? Yes, that is right, I cannot either. Since the beginning of time, the aesthetics of music have always complimented the grandeur of kings and emperors while they performed their ceremonial duties or for their pleasure at leisure. Just like any other aspect of human life, or humans ourselves, music has also gone through significant evolution with the invention of sophisticated instruments. Today there are as many genres of music as the sand on the shores of a sea. Each genre has a different origin and the kind of satisfaction that its lovers derive from it. Accordingly,  music has become a regular feature of ceremonies like engagements, weddings, outdoorings, and funerals. Quite besides the aesthetics, people resort to the company of music for diverse reasons including physical, mental, and emotional. The ricocheting highs and lows feature of human emotions calls for different kinds of music to suit them. Whatever the kind of emotional swing it is, there is a particular music that can have a profound influence to placate or soothe, further brighten, motivate and help discard unhealthy impulses; in short, there is a song for every emotion.

Research has proven that listening to your favorite song can trigger the release of dopamine into the brain which can help prevent depression. The release of endorphins also known as the ‘happy hormones’ can be facilitated by singing and dancing to music. Most people find listening to music while exercising more entertaining and result-oriented. This is because fast-paced, upbeat music increases your heart rate and gives a burst of energy, fueling motivation and maximizing performance. That explains why gym centers play music and provide headphones to customers during workouts.

Music has also been shown to improve focus and attention and boost mental performance when studying or working on a task. When it is hard to concentrate on a task at hand, listening to some stimulating tracks can power your attention. However,  some music with lots of lyrics and distracting beats can do just the opposite. Classical music(baroque in particular) has been found to bring about a balanced, stable, calm state of mind and improve learning efficiency.

Another powerful magic music can perform is to bring back fond memories. Music has the ability to transport the listener back in time to relive endearing memories. This is because listening to the same music repeatedly creates an association in the brain with the emotions experienced while listening to that music. So replaying music from years ago (old songs) one can immediately reconnect with the emotions and feelings that were being experienced at that time. This is especially useful when trying to recall positive experiences or memories and relive some of the positivity in the present. Music has also been shown to have a profound influence on the memories of people with dementia. A popular program developed in the US called “music & memory” focuses on creating personalized playlists and playing this music to people who have a chronic cognitive and physical impairment. The creators explain that the music awakens a part of the brain not impacted by dementia and evokes responses, such as singing and movement, and brief moments of reconnection with loved ones.

   Music can also promote relaxation and restful sleep. Playing some calming music may be equivalent to waving a magic wand when feeling overwhelmed and stressed and perhaps unable to sleep. Research indicates that listening to peaceful music can help with relaxation by slowing breathing and heart rate as well as reducing blood pressure and reducing stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. This makes it easier to unwind and let go of some worries which in turn may help in falling asleep quicker and staying asleep longer.

Music is a powerful cultivator of connection. Research shows that listening to music can trigger the release of oxytocin, the love hormone that helps in developing empathy, trust, and compassion for others. Although music is universal, it brings people together from all works of life. It does not really matter what language you speak or where you come from, music is a  language that everyone understands. Hence it is much easier and highly effective to elicit emotions through songs. For example, during the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, a song written by Michael Jackson titled ‘we are the world’ was used to raise funds to support the victims. Musicians have also sent powerful messages to warring factions to elicit sympathy to help broker peace.

In all, one might just need to find out what kind of music by which musician is good for what kind of feeling or emotion in order to tap into the mojo associated with music.