| A growing number of people have discovered | | | | who did not listen to music. |
| how music can help dissolve their daily tension, | | | | One method of combining music and fitness has |
| physical problems such as migraines and the | | | | shown positive behavioral changes when used |
| emotional problems of anxiety and depression. | | | | with autistic children. This beneficial medium is |
| Music and fitness share a common bond in that | | | | thought to be due to music's non-verbal and |
| they both block out or redirect stress hormones, | | | | non-threatening nature. One may only need to |
| lower blood pressure, ease anxiety, energize and | | | | find the child's preferred music, and then it can be |
| sooth us and improve our focus. When music and | | | | utilized. There is no style of music more beneficial |
| fitness merge, an even stronger bond is formed. | | | | than another. Music that the individual is particularly |
| We as fitness and healthcare professionals have | | | | fond of will always have the best therapeutic |
| the opportunity to use this music-fitness | | | | effect. Using music in a game setting perfectly |
| connection in our aquatic and group exercise | | | | combines music with fitness. These can be simple |
| classes and personal training and therapy sessions. | | | | activities such as passing a ball back and forth to |
| This makes us all therapists of sorts, and the end | | | | music. Michelle Dozois, International fitness |
| result of a class or session is a total mind/body | | | | presenter, has discovered music's profound effect |
| treatment. | | | | with her autistic son. Music's mood-changing effect |
| The healing power of music is part of the | | | | is apparent as it calms him. "It changes his |
| medicinal arsenal that aids us in returning to our | | | | demeanor instantly," says Michelle. "Music wakes |
| fitness activities after an initial illness or injury. | | | | up the body and mind in a therapeutic way." |
| Music relaxes us, which causes the release of | | | | Physical therapy is an excellent example of using |
| endorphins (the "feel good" hormones). These | | | | music for movement. Sharlynn Landers, PT, MPT, |
| endorphins create a way to manage pain and help | | | | has used sound in working with patients on |
| us return sooner to our fitness activities. | | | | improving their gait. The "scuff" of the feet |
| Aerobic exercise promotes the release of | | | | produces auditory recognition and enables the |
| endorphins, helping the brain to block pain signals. | | | | therapist and patient to detect differences or |
| Exercise can also reduce the side effects of | | | | similarities in the sound of each foot. |
| depression and anxiety that often result from | | | | Many healthcare professionals today use music to |
| chronic pain; swimming or aqua aerobics in a | | | | stimulate motor function. Patients with nerve |
| warm pool are extremely beneficial for this | | | | impairment from Parkinson's disease or a stroke |
| chronic pain. Not only do these endorphins help | | | | have seen improvement from the benefit of |
| with pain, but they also help keep stress | | | | music therapy. |
| hormones (such as cortisol) in check. When our | | | | Dr. Oliver Sacks, known for his book Awakenings |
| brain perceives any type of bodily stress, the | | | | (also made into a feature film), turned his early |
| hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary gland, | | | | love of music into his work in music therapy. The |
| which then tells our adrenal glands to produce | | | | patients he wrote about in his book were struck |
| cortisol. By keeping control of stress hormones, | | | | by a form of encephalitis that left them in a |
| whether through regular exercise and/or listening | | | | comatose state. They rarely moved and did not |
| to music, we might be able to help prevent | | | | speak. Being convinced that "someone" was still |
| degenerative diseases such as heart disease and | | | | inside each of them, Dr. Sacks used music to |
| cancer. | | | | bring them out of this state. He found that playing |
| Music soothes the stress of chemotherapy in | | | | the right music enabled them to change their |
| cancer patients, who are often stricken with | | | | stuttering steps even to the point of dancing. |
| anxiety and emotional upset during treatment. A | | | | Dr. Sacks also worked with Tourette's Syndrome |
| study conducted by Barrie Cassileth, PhD, proved | | | | patients. He found that many musicians did not |
| that out of 69 adult patients, those who received | | | | have tics while performing and that athletes |
| music therapy reported 37 percent less total | | | | showed similar relief when engaged in athletic |
| mood disturbance and 28 percent less anxiety | | | | activity. Dr. Sacks personally felt the healing |
| than the other patients.1 | | | | power of music after tearing his own hamstring. |
| Just as the properties of water work as an | | | | When his physical therapist played music during his |
| analgesic to relieve the physical strain and pain of | | | | session, he was distracted and walked normally. |
| exercise, so does music. Music has a positive | | | | He lost his ability to walk with ease when the |
| effect on exercise in that it distracts people from | | | | music stopped. |
| the effort, thus also taking their mind off the | | | | Music intellectually refreshes us, and we are then |
| strain and pain. Researchers, such as Luis F. | | | | able to perform better throughout our day. Music |
| Aragòn-Vargas, PhD, agree that music's | | | | clarifies our thinking patterns, which enables us to |
| positive effect on endurance and exercise | | | | make better decisions. Studies have shown that |
| performance allows people to work out longer | | | | listening to music such as a composition by Mozart |
| and with more intensity. An added bonus is that | | | | prior to taking an exam produces higher scores. |
| music adds enjoyment-especially when it is music | | | | Thus, one of the slogans of recent years was |
| you like. For those in need of an | | | | "Mozart Makes You Smarter." Musical vibrations |
| "easy-on-the-joints" workout, water exercise will | | | | stimulate hearing and enhance brain development, |
| give you this. When combined with music, this | | | | so playing music when you are pregnant may |
| type of workout will give you the benefits of | | | | improve your child's IQ. It has been suggested to |
| resistance training with the added bonus of | | | | listen to slow, soft nurturing music such as |
| endurance, improved performance and | | | | Mozart's, which mimics a mother's heartbeat. |
| enjoyment. | | | | We know that exercise strengthens the heart |
| Do you know a musician who is also a good | | | | and lungs, but many studies have shown proof |
| athlete? I have seen many in my years of | | | | that, just as with music, exercise also builds up |
| teaching and training. Playing a musical instrument | | | | the brain. Studies have suggested a positive |
| can sharpen your senses, improve coordination | | | | effect of physical activity on brain function, |
| and give you a keener sense of timing. These are | | | | especially in older adults. A recent finding using |
| also the ingredients needed in athletic training. | | | | brain scans of men and women ages 66 to 89 |
| Two studies where music, silence and static noise | | | | found that those who were more physically |
| were used as control factors produced interesting | | | | active had better focusing abilities and were less |
| results. In one study, the strength of the immune | | | | easily distracted. Another study with 90 healthy, |
| system was measured against these three | | | | older women showed better memories and |
| factors. In the group exposed to silence, their | | | | quicker reaction times resulting from a long-term |
| immune systems showed no response and | | | | exercise program. Adding music to a workout can |
| remained at the same level. Those subjected to | | | | produce a psycho-physiological effect whereby |
| static noise showed a lowered immune system | | | | the participant is more highly motivated and able |
| response, while the group that listened to music | | | | to exert his or her self more easily, with the end |
| showed an increase in the strength of their | | | | result being a higher performance level. |
| immune system. When using these same three | | | | By using the power of music and fitness to heal, |
| control factors in an exercise bike test, the | | | | we can bridge from illness to health. We can |
| findings were that those who listened to music | | | | thereby become more fit, strengthen our immune |
| traveled 11 percent farther. In yet another | | | | system and be led to better health and an overall |
| eight-week walking study at Ohio State | | | | well-being. Music has the power to not only |
| University, using subjects with serious lung | | | | enhance our workout, but also to give us the |
| disease, results showed that those who listened | | | | fitness connection between musical sound and |
| to music walked 21 percent farther than those | | | | sound health. |