The Mental Benefits of Music
For
me, classical music is my preference, whether for listening pleasure or in
singing selections from opera or sacred music. Regarding the latter, I have
been singing in a variety of choirs over the past 50 years. I am not a
polished, professional singer, but then you do not have to be such in order to
reap the mental benefits associated with singing, including stress relief and
the increase of positive emotions, among others. In fact, just humming can help
with releasing stress, sleep and blood pressure, lymphatic circulation,
endorphin release, the creation of neural pathways in the brain and augmenting
blood platelet production, according to Jonathan and Andi Goldman in their book
"Humming Effect". When I listen to or sing musical compositions by
Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Mozart, Verdi, Dvorak, Faure and others, I literally
sense the music flowing through my being in an electrifying manner.
