As we age, simple lifestyle adjustments like practicing regular meditation or modifying our diet can have a significant influence on our physical and mental wellness. Listening to jazz, in particular, is one of the best and easiest ways to improve your health. Jazz has been associated with great health benefits like lower stress levels, better mental and emotional wellbeing, and improved physical health in older adults. Read on to take a closer look at the five key benefits of jazz music in your golden years!
Enhances Creativity and Quality of Sleep
There are numerous cognitive benefits of listening to soothing jazz music, as it has been proven to affect your brain waves. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, jazz music can stimulate your theta and delta brain waves, thereby promoting higher levels of innovation and better sleep quality.
Improves Cognitive Health, Memory, and Mood
The study at Johns Hopkins Medicine also found that listening to jazz can enhance memory recall, moods, clarity of mind, and even linguistic skills. This makes jazz exposure a perfect form of music therapy for those in a memory care community.
Relieves Stress and Anxiety
Jazz reduces tension by triggering alpha brain waves, which eases nervousness and fosters a peaceful mind. Whether you listen to the same tunes or different artists every night, jazz music exposure is a fantastic way to enhance your overall mental wellness!
Alleviates Chronic Pain and Depression
Music can push your brain to suppress pain sensations in the same way music stimulates happiness and relieves stress. A 2015 Master’s in Healthcare Administration study found that participants who listened to jazz music reported 21% less pain overall compared to others who did not. Individuals who listened to classical artists and other slow music also experienced positive outcomes.
Other than alleviating persistent, daily pain, jazz can also aid in migraine therapy, stroke rehabilitation, post-operation recovery, and labor pains. The research also indicated that those who frequently indulge in jazz or slow music are 25% less likely to experience depression. Jazz music essentially offers a completely natural, risk-free remedy for any condition, from short-term events like labor or long-term occurrences like persistent headaches, to chronic diseases like depression.
Lowers Blood Pressure
The US Institute of Medicine reports that 30 to 50 percent of Americans over 50 suffer from chronic high blood pressure. Left untreated, high blood pressure can result in serious consequences, like torn blood vessels, aneurysms, strokes, heart attacks, and dementia.
Certain genres of music such as smooth jazz and classical music have been found to lower blood pressure by widening the blood vessels, thereby lowering the risk of those serious health conditions. The 2015 Master’s in Healthcare Administration study showed that listening to jazz can widen blood vessels by up to 30% and also raise immunoglobulin levels, which lowers the risk of infection complications.
In sum, jazz certainly has a positive impact on your body and mind during your golden years, inspiring everyone to be less stressed, more innovative, happier, and healthier. It’s no wonder more and more elderly folks are turning to jazz music therapy!
