Shibdas Ghose
Dimapur
Life is not a smooth sailing. Today everyone seems to be pressurised and stressed about one or the other thing. Stress has become an inescapable part as our lives. In such prevailing circumstances, listening to music – the art of organising sounds into rhythm, melody and harmony created by playing on different kinds of musical instruments along with song by mouth, plays a significant role in our lives at any stage. Listening to music, particularly gentle, calming and melodious music, relaxes people both physically and mentally. Music releases endorphins, the natural painkillers in our brain, normalise heart and blood pressure. The common occurrence of fatigue and boredom decrease when we listen to music. Music can have a positive impact in our lives in several different areas – can alter the way we feel, evoke memories, provide comfort and can have physical health benefits too. While meditating, listening to music helps us to connect with our soul. Even students can improve their concentration and boost their memory by listening to soft music. Soothing music, when played at night, helps us to rest and relax for a good night’s sleep.
Music is deeply intertwined with love affairs as it acts as a powerful tool to express emotions, create intimacy, solidify memories and facilitate connection between partners, often serving as a way to communicate feelings that might be difficult to put into words, making it a significant part of romantic relationship and affinity.
When an old musicophile hear songs they frequently listened to and loved in his youth, it often triggers a powerful wave of nostalgia, transporting them back to a specific memories, emotions and experiences from his past, effectively acting as a potent memory cue that can evoke feelings of joy, sadness, or even sense of reconnection with his younger selves, sometimes even bringing back vivid details of people and places from long ago. This is because music is deeply linked to one’s emotional memories and can be a powerful tool for accessing parts of brain. The deeper a personal connection to a song, the stronger the emotional response when it is heard again. The songs one loved in their youth, do not leave them. They remain with the music enthusiast forever into old age. Music can provide an opportunity for bringing older people together, can help to combat isolation and loneliness, thus helps to evoke autobiographical memory. When elderly people and their wives listened to music together, they often feel a sense of nostalgia, connection, happiness and comfort. The music can evoke memories from their shared pat, bringing a feeling of closeness, rejuvenating the minds, they enjoyed during their younger years.
While music can help reduce depression in older people, rumination which is dwelling on negative thinking or feelings, can contribute to depression and anxiety also.
.JPG)
