Can "Power" music help patients when they are down?

Hi Johnny Mac, Even tho your idea of POWER music is a good one, I became extremely sound and light sensitive during my 1st month in the hospital, so I liked the lights dimmed and silence.

Johnny Mac

Not sure how music affects healing or recovery but I do know that it is used in cancer treatments. Almost everyone enjoys music of some sort.

Ever notice the music played in a grocery store?? It is usually a slower music. They want you to stay and fill up your buggy LOL!

Music in restuarants is usually faster cause they want you to eat and get out unless you are fine dining and then that music is again a slower more relaxing speed!

Wonder if any studies have been done?

Rhonda

Hi Johnny Mac, I believe in the power of music as well. Especially Robert Palmer’s Simple Irresistible. That was my song before playing volleyball:) I also would listen to other songs before playing softball and basketball-Ladies Night was our basketball teams’ theme song–we went 17-0 that year!!!:D
I have to say I was also very sensitive in the beginning, although once I got home and was able to listen to my music I was much more relaxed and it helped me get through my greiving stages at my pace-no dilly-dallying!;)
I can just picture you jammin to Palmer!!!:cool: Take Care.

I have a suite of music by Stephen Halpern that I love. I got one that is for creativity and one for self healing. I think they are both subliminal and when I listen to them I feel a lot better. I sleep more soundly as well…and pop awake when hubby turns off the cd player so he will turn it back on for me until he is “sure” I am out cold. I am sure anything that gets the blood pumping is healing because blood carries oxygen thru our bodies and it helps the healing process. Plus it puts your mind on something other than what is wrong at the moment and that has healing properties too. I think there is a lot of truth to “music soothes the savage beast”.

I think you are so right about music. I read that they think the huge stones of the pyramids might have been moved by playing a particular note that can reverse gravity. I am guessing it is A sharp several octives higher than we can hear. I thought this was crazy until I read that NASA has done studies on this. There was a man in Florida who built and moved his Coral Castle and supposedly used this technique. I tend to be inspired by Leonard Cohen’s music – Anthem and Hallelujiah are my favorites. Listen to them sung by Rufus Wainwright and Perla B. Google them if you haven’t heard them.

ive heard the term, “music therapy” many times. i strongly believe the power of music can bring about many emotional and physical responses.

my little brother is going to college now, majoring in music. one time, he was talking about the power of music, saying it is the most powerful thing in the world. he said, “think about it; you can take simple words that mean nothing, but when you put them to music, you can almost control people. take the simple words and put them with one kind of music, and the people will be happy, another kind will make them sad, another will cause happiness, another energy, anger, motivation, etc.

i had never thought of it that way. for once, my little brother was right;)

I need music all the time, whether or not I hear it isn’t as important. The GBS made me so sensitive to sound (and light) that hearing any music was almost unbearable for me. My nerves couldn’t stand the changes in pitch or dynamics of any type of instrument except very soft classical guitar. I found myself turning the volume lower and lower in order to be able to bear it.

And hearing any music made me feel completely jittery for months; I would tremble with stress. I found that only the slowest music was tolerable for me, so I started listening to ‘chant’ music, men’s voices only. I needed the comfort of music, so I relearned to hear the music in my mind, even though sometimes this was too stressful and confusing also. A year has passed, and I can now tolerate more types of music, and some increase in volume.

I agree with everything all of the others have testified about music. It is very powerful and can be significant in the healing process. Music exerts a mighty influence on our emotions and body rhythms.

–Donna

PS: Recommended reading: “The Song of the Kingdom” by Andy Stone

I found any noise nearly painful and I love music! Literally, it was several years before I could listen to CD’s or radio. And still (nearly 14 yrs) if I have “over-done” I need a silent house. Some days I can’t turn on the computer because of the constant hum. Thankfully now I enjoy “gentle” music once again. We are all so different!

I totally believe in the power of music. When I used to work with medically fragile children in a long-term care setting, I would often set the kids radios to classical music at night.
Some of the kids were able to express what type of music they liked better, simply by smiles and body reactions. One little girl used to get so excited when you would play a Reba cd for her. She would cry when the cd ended, good thing there is a repeat button.

My sister listens to a genre called “space pop” all the time. It reminds me of the theme song to the Jetson’s and the Pink Panther show. Just very upbeat happy music and that is what my sister said “how can you feel sad when you are listening to this music.”

I think music & art therapy are going to make a big scene in healthcare, especially mental health.