Listening to music causes a wide variety of activities and brain stimuli that directly influence important aspects of life such as mood, stress management, anxiety or fatigue. In fact, more and more hospitals include music therapy in more and more treatments. Thus, commemorating International Music Day, Alvar Ocano, medical manager of the Aegon insurance company, reviews the main benefits that music can bring to health.

Reduce anxiety: listening to your favorite song reduces anxiety levels. Music can help lower cortisol levels, the stress-related hormone.

It helps reduce pain: music therapy causes endorphins to be released, which act as natural analgesics. In fact, there are multiple studies that show that music can reduce the pain of some chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis.

Help in neurological disorders: such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Autism. In addition, music is like a gym for the brain, as it increases neuronal communication, elasticity, and plasticity of the organ.

Strengthens the immune system: increases platelet production, stimulates lymphocytes and cellular protection against certain diseases. Likewise, listening to music can also lower cortisol levels, which can lead to a decrease in the immune response.

It increases optimism and protects brain aging: especially for people suffering from depression processes. According to a study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, playing a musical instrument reduces the effects of mental deterioration associated with aging.

Power memory: listening to music activates several areas of the brain so that information is better processed. Several reports have confirmed that listening to music or playing an instrument makes it better learned. Thus, according to a study published by scientists from the University of Helsinki, Mozart’s music activates the left and right brain, which maximizes learning and information retention.

Fight the headache: thanks to its relaxing and stressful effect, another benefit of listening to music is that it can help those who suffer from migraines or headaches.

Reduces blood pressure: According to research by the American Society of Hypertension in New Orleans, listening to 30 minutes of classical, Celtic or raga music daily can significantly reduce high blood pressure.