The Health Benefits of Music

An earworm is a song that lodges itself in your brain. People who say music is important to them have a harder time getting rid of earworms. Next time you can't get a song off your mind, just know that it will go away. That works better than trying to trying to block it out.

Playing a musical instrument trains the brain. The effects can last long after you quit. College students who had music lessons as children were better able to pick out pitch and other key elements of sound than those who hadn't. That was the case even if the music lessons had ended years earlier.

About 4% or 1 in 25 people are tone-deaf. Their hearing is fine, but they don't notice when someone hits the wrong musical note. It may be inherited.

There’s a good reason for choosing an upbeat song over a moody ballad when you exercise. In one study, men cycled harder and quicker, and enjoyed it more, when listening to faster music.

Your favorite songs don’t just make you tap your feet or boost your mood; they might also be good for your heart. Researchers at the University of Maryland found that when people listened to music that made them feel good, they had better blood flow, which is good for your heart and blood vessels.

After a stroke, people who listened daily to their favorite music remembered more, could focus better, and were less depressed and confused than those who hadn't, one study shows. The reason isn’t clear, but one possibility is that listening to music involves several parts of the brain.

If you have Parkinson’s disease, you may have slurred or unclear speech because of breathing problems or trouble moving your mouth or tongue. Through music therapy, you can learn how to “sing” words and hold single syllables to get better breath support. If you focus on the rhythm of a piece of music, it might help you walk or move better. Music can also slow down your body when it's overactive.

You may tire of hearing your child sing the Sesame Streetsong or play drums, but it may be worth it in the long run. Music builds reasoning skills and helps children learn and remember. Children who regularly play an instrument or sing are more likely to go to college, and to do well in math, science, and reading.