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The Power of Music: Your Journey to Wellness
A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Waistline
Music? For our wellness? YES! Often conversations about health focus on the physical or the mental/emotional aspects. There’s a powerful tool we can use that connects all of these: music. It’s a perfect illustration of the mind-body connection, and we’re ready to uncover its secrets.
I geek out on science/biology, (which we’ll get to) but you don’t need a medical degree to recognize this truth. Think about those times when you’ve attempted working out to a sluggish, slow-tempo song. It’s a struggle, isn’t it? Likewise, when you’re driving and find yourself skipping through songs until you discover one that perfectly matches your mood — happens all the time, doesn’t it? These moments vividly illustrate how music profoundly affects us, influencing our physical movements and emotional states alike.
How does this happen? It’s fascinating! First, the body synchronizes with music. Research indicates that the heart rate adjusts to match the rhythm of the music, regardless of whether we feel that our movements can keep up with the beat or not. This phenomenon is linked to the brainstem, which is the part of the brain where sound processing begins. This same part of the brain regulates heart rate and respiration. This isn’t the only impact of music on exercise, though. Studies…
