• 17th July 2021

MUSIC (JAZZ): A HEALTH THERAPY

Listening to music has been very beneficial to my health in many ways; It helped me overcome depression, stress, sadness, anger, etc. The innovative riffs, cool tones and complex rhythms bring a natural relief to my mind & body.

Music in its simplest term is a pleasant sound to the ears. There are various genres of music with their unique melodies and tempos, in this article, I'll focus on Jazz as a genre of Music.

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression and African-American music traditions

Jazz music has been an incredibly influential part of some cultures. Here are some of the various forms jazz music has taken over the years:

Early Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Hard Bop, Cool, Fusion, etc.

 

A World Health Organization’s report about depression stated;

“Depression is one of the most serious and frequent mental disorders worldwide. International studies predict that approximately 322 million of the world's population suffers from clinical depression. This disorder can occur from infancy to old age, with women being affected more often than men. Thus, depression is one of the most common chronic diseases”.

Benefits of Listening To Jazz

Listening to upbeat music can:

·         Help you focus and raise your heart rate.

·         Provide motivation and reduce fatigue during a workout.

·         Listening to the distinctive syncopation of some jazz can bring about theta brain waves, the most highly creative brain wave. They inspire new insights and solutions to unresolved problems ("Eureka!" moments).

 

Music Examples for Focus and Energy

• "Cavatina"  – Eric Alexander
• "Steppin'" – McCoy Tyner
• "Adoracao" – Eric Reed
• “High Life” – Dave Weckl

 

Stress Relief

Listening to relaxing music is just as effective at reducing anxiety as a massage.

Listening to music with around 60 BPM's can cause the brain to synchronize with the beat, resulting in alpha brainwaves. They make you relaxed but conscious.

Listening to calming music in a relaxed position for at least 45 minutes produces delta brainwaves which can induce sleep¦ better sleep.

Better Sleep: Studies show that just 45 min of soft, slow music (between 60-80 BPM) like jazz, before bedtime results in better and longer night-time sleep as well as less dysfunctioning during the day.

Music Examples for Relaxation

·         "Almost Blue" – Chet Baker (56 BPM)

·         "Blue Train" – John Coltrane (75 BPM)

·         “Lampin’ It” – Euge Groove (83 BPM)

·         “Adagio In C minor” – Yanni (91 BPM)

Bpm means Beat per minute; it is the tempo of the tune.

 

PainRelief

Listening to jazz has been shown to reduce the time and intensity of both general and migraine headaches.

Music therapy is increasingly used for pain relief in hospitals to:

·         reduce the need for medication during childbirth

·         decrease postoperative pain

·         complement use of anaesthesia during surgery

 

Blood Pressure

Studies show that jazz and laughter can lower blood pressure by causing blood vessels to expand by up to 30%.

 

After 3 months of the music & laughter study:

·         music group decreased blood pressure by 6 mmHg

·         laughter group decreased blood pressure by 5 mmHg

·         the control group had no change

 

Immunity

listening to jazz for 30 minutes boosts immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels. IgA resides in mucous linings of the body and acts as an antibody; preventing virus, bacteria and infection. The effect on IgA levels continues for an additional 30 minutes after the music stops playing.

 

In Conclusion: The benefits derived from listening to Jazz are enormous. I’ll have to drop the pen at this juncture. Jazz is so unique because it encapsulates other genres of music in it and doesn’t have a specific tempo. The ingenuity of the tune solely depends on what the composer has in mind; it conveys his mood, feelings and ideas to the listeners.

On the 30^th of April is International Jazz Day.

Personally, Jazz relaxes me and enables me to focus on the task(s) I have to accomplish and I recommend it.

ENJOY!!!!