Body Awareness through Movement and MusicWhat’s so special about MUSIC?

Ways Music Affects the BodyAccording to Science, it can:

1. Repair Brain Damage2. Kick an Addiction3. Boost Your Immune System4. Prevent Seizures5. Return Lost Memories6. Increase Spatial Reasoning7. Cure Parkinson's

Interesting & useful to have a look at some of the ways we react

to music without even realizing

Left brain Rhythm & pitch

Right brain Timbre & melody

Both hemispheres Meter

1. Repairs Brain DamageKenny Rogers Effect -

lightens the effects of visual neglect, the inability to recognize half of what they see

Those who can no longer speak , due to left-side brain damage can often find they are able to sing words…then speak simple sentences with practice

How Does it Work? Left brain Language functions

Right brain Music

Brain can be trained to move broken down language functions to the other side by associating music with language.

Pleasurable music releases dopamine that makes certain parts of your brain function better .

Gives your brain a massage and fills it with “happy” chemicals

2. Helps Kick Addictions

Relaxing

Creates a distraction from withdrawal symptoms

If applied frequently, can cut down on amount of pain-killers needed.

How Does it Work?Directly affects chemicals

called neurotransmitters which relay information in our head.

Can increase levels of dopamine & norepinephrine

Lowers heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension

Increases recovery from conditions such as heart disease, lung ailments, even the common cold.

This field of study is still young compared to fancy "real medicine”.

How Does it Work?

Reduces stress by reducing cortisol

Brain releases healing hormones & endorphins, natural painkiller

Raises immune markers in your system, creating more antibodies to fight disease.

3. Boosts Your Immune System

4. Prevents Seizures

Mozart on the piano reduces seizure-causing activity in the brain within five minutes of exposure.

There appears to be a connection between our brains and piano music.

More experiments are needed with other forms.

How does it work?

Theory: somehow, the architecture of the music resonates with the organization of the cerebral cortex.

Scientists are still shrugging their shoulders over the findings.

5. Returns Lost Memories

Can help Alzheimer’s patients remember parts & pieces of their past, especially those memories associated with music.

Humming a familiar tune can help you find your car keys.

How Does it Work?

Listening to music engages both hemispheres, creating brain activity that other things can’t.

Engages the hippocampus, which handles long-term memory storage.

Feelings, and sometimes memories associated with a known song are returned by the hippocampus.

Enough emotions and attitudes are returned , allowing people to laugh and sing along

6. Increases Spatial Reasoning

Mozart music, especially piano music, can temporarily raise spatial reasoning the average of 9 IQ points.

How Does it Work?Some claim that

it helps you focus

Others say it increases activity in crucial regions of the brain

7. Help Quieten Parkinson Symptoms

Can instantly resolve the physical issues, such as muscle spasms, locking muscles, balance problems

Parkinson patient, Rande Gedalia, had muscle spams, balance problems and difficulty walking. When listening to music, she discovered she was able to move with much more ease.

How Does it Work?Portions of the brain which deal

with rhythm and movement are so automated that it requires no conscious effort to move to a beat. The brain goes behind your back to get your toe tapping. Watch babies.

Patients with bradykinesia--an inability to initiate movement--can move as their brain tricks their legs by sending movements signals to them.

Happy/sad music affects how we see neutral faces, matching the tone of the music.

Ambient noise at a moderate level makes it just hard enough to process things as we normally would, making us resort to more creative approaches, raising creativity. Same with temperature & lighting. Too much of any of these, and we struggle too much.

Either unfamiliar, or uninteresting music is best for safe driving; we are distracted with our music choice

Classical music can improve visual attention; white noise & silence do the opposite.

Music helps us move when we may not want to; competes for our brain’s attention, & override negative signals; it can actually help us to use our energy more efficiently (cyclists use 7% less oxygen w/music)

Music helps keep you energized & motivated; or can calm & soothe you.

Research has shown that music generally improves mood.

Music can be an effective therapeutic or mood-altering tool.

Music is the universal language.

Music can be used every day to enhance your life experience.

Movement teaches students body awareness and orientation.

Music supports the movements and adds the vocabulary through relevant lyrics.

Motivating and FUN!