Your brain reacts to music differently than other sounds
“Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel… On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio.” – Hunter S. Thompson
Music is vital to the human experience. It soothes our souls when we’re weary, pumps us up when we’re working out, transmits stories and ideas throughout culture and creates communities from people who never would have met otherwise. A new video by Life Noggin shows, without a doubt, your brain loves music.
Music is processed much differently than other auditory stimuli. It creates activity in the brain’s auditory cortex as well as regions associated with movement, motor planning and attention. When you’re listening to a peak moment in one of your favorite songs your brain releases dopamine, a chemical it also produces when you’re eating a good meal, enjoying sex or taking recreational drugs. In fact, after repeated listening to a great song, your brain releases dopamine in anticipation of peak moments so you really enjoy the climax.
Studies show that playing a musical instrument can make you smarter. Children who have at least three years of instrumental music training perform better than their non-musical counterparts on a variety of tests. Music enhances a child’s reading skills as well as their ability to notice patterns. Music is a tremendous gift to share with our children, so it’s terrible that so many programs are being slashed in our schools.
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