On the Coast – Over 55 Issue 32 I November/December 2019(clone) | Page 12

SYMPHONY CENTRAL COAST
How classical music
affects the brain and body
If you’re a classical music devotee, you
already know that Bach can transport
you to another realm. That’s because,
according to research, classical music
affects the brain and body in a variety of
positive ways – from improving memory
to aiding relaxation.
Boost brainpower
If they say that music is food for the soul,
then classical compositions are omega-3
and antioxidants. During a 1993 control
group, physicist and Professor Dr Gordon
Shaw saw a spike in IQ in his students
after listening to Mozart. Labelled the
‘Mozart Effect,’ Dr Shaw believed that
listening to Mozart could warm up parts
of the brain that relate to abstract thought.
Echoing this, a study by Dr Kevin
Labar found that music does have
the power to improve intellectual
performance and cognitive function,
but not by raising the IQ. What actually
happens is that the calming effect
induced by classical music releases
dopamine to spike pleasure. The
dopamine also improves mood and
clarifies thinking.
Reduce stress
If you’re feeling stressed – then sit back,
close your eyes, and play Bach’s Twelve
Little Preludes on the stereo. A 2018 study
on the effect of different types of music
on patients’ preoperative anxiety showed
that classical music can slow the heart
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rate and breathing pattern, and decrease
stress. Classical music also lowers cortisol
levels in the brain that can help lessen
anxiety and lower blood pressure.
Improve memory and slow ageing
Keep forgetting where you put your keys?
Try listening to some classical music. A
study from the Department of Medical
Genetics showed that listening to just 20
minutes of classical music a day can
modulate the genes responsible for brain
function and memory. During the study,
participants who listened to classical music
had an increase in dopamine secretion,
and activated the genes associated with
learning and memory. In the same study,
classical music down-regulated genes
associated with neurodegenerative
diseases and ageing.
Aid sleep
Insomniacs rejoice, there’s now an
alternative to sleeping pills. A 2008 study
by the Institute of Behavioural Science
found that classical music induced a deep
sleep in participants struggling with sleep
disorders. The classical music reduced
sympathetic nervous system activity,
decreased anxiety and lowered the blood
pressure, helping the participants drift off
to sleep.
Relish in Symphony Central Coast
It’s clear that classical music positively
affects our brain and body. And, nothing
beats the real thing. If you’re a local, then
you can’t miss a performance by
Symphony Central Coast – one of the
largest regional community orchestras
in NSW.
To learn more about upcoming concerts, visit
www.symphonycentralcoast.com.au or call 43 65 84 97