By John Salak –
Listen up. Music isn’t just good for a person’s soul. It can also help support physical and mental health, especially in older adults.
University of Michigan researchers report that the vast majority of people 50 to 80 years old who sing in a choir, play an instrument, join in hymns at church or just listen to music at home enjoy more than just entertainment.
Three-quarters of people aged 50 to 80 also claim music helps them relieve stress or relax, while 65 percent say it helps their mental health or mood. Beyond this, Michigan researchers noted that 60 percent said they get energized or motivated by music.
Virtually all, 98 percent, reported the music benefits in at least one health-related way. Almost as many, 89 percent, said music was either very important or somewhat important to them.
“Music has the power to bring joy and meaning to life. It is woven into the very fabric of existence for all of humankind,” explained Dr. Joel Howell, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medical School.
The research team also noted that music has tangible effects on a variety of health-related ailments. “We know that music is associated with positive effects on measures from blood pressure to depression,” Howell said.
The Michigan study is only the latest piece of research to underscore the importance of engaging with music.
Harvard Medical School also reported a systematic review and meta-analysis of various studies “showed that the use of music interventions (listening to music, singing and music therapy) can create significant improvements in mental health and smaller improvements in physical health–related quality of life.”
The Harvard researchers, however, reported that there this no single best intervention or “dose” of music that works best for all people.
British researchers from the University of Exeter were even more specific. Its research team reviewed data from more than a thousand adults over the age of 40 and determined that a lifetime of playing an instrument or singing in a choir supported cognitive function among older adults.
The findings specifically showed that playing a musical instrument, particularly the piano, was linked to improved memory and the ability to solve complex tasks in later life.
The Michigan result, based on the University National Poll on Healthy Aging, found a surprising number of older adults engaged in music. In all, 46 percent of older adults reported singing at least a few times a week, while 17 percent said they play an instrument at least a few times a year. Most respondents, 85 percent, reported listening to music at least a few times a week, while 80 percent said they’ve watched musical performances on television or the internet at least a few times a year. Another 41 percent claimed they attend live musical performances a few times a year.
The poll also revealed that older adults who said their physical health is fair or poor and those who say they often feel isolated were less likely to listen to music every day.
“While music doesn’t come up often in older adults’ visits with their usual care providers, perhaps it should,” noted Michigan’s poll director Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren. “The power of music to connect us, improve mood and energy or even ease pain means it could be a powerful tool.”
