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Music as Medicine: The Healing Power of Music

June 17, 2021 - 06:05 AM The late neurologist, Oliver Sacks in his book “Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain,” argued that music is essential to being human in ways that we’ve only begun to understand. Music stimulates the brain centers that register reward and pleasure, which is why listening to a favorite song can make you happy. There is in fact no single musical center in the brain, but rather multiple brain networks that analyze music when it plays, thereby giving music the power to influence everything from our mood to memory. For cancer patients, music can be a powerful therapeutic tool in coping with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. “Music was so......

10 Simple Ways to Bring Peace to Your Day

June 15, 2021 - 06:05 AM There’s a Zen koan that says: Meditate for an hour every day unless you are too busy. In that case, meditate for two hours. I think of this line frequently when people tell me they are “too busy” for mindfulness. The parents and teachers and students I work with describe days of perpetual motion: school and work and activities and errands and meals-on-the-run…. “I just feel like I never have a moment to stop!” they tell me. This makes me think, “If you don’t have a single moment to stop, then you need at least 60 moments!” Very few of us likely have an entire hour or two to devote to......

The Uses and Benefits of Music Therapy

June 11, 2021 - 06:05 AM What is music therapy? Sound healing therapy uses aspects of music to improve physical and emotional health and well-being. The person being treated partakes in the experience with a trained practitioner. Music therapy may involve: listening to music singing along to music moving to the beat of the music meditating playing an instrument Healing with sound is believed to date back to ancient Greece, when music was used in an attempt to cure mental disorders. Throughout history, music has been used to boost morale in military troops, help people work faster and more productively, and even ward off evil spirits by chanting. More recently, research has linked music to a number of......

9 Health Benefits of Music

June 08, 2021 - 06:15 PM Music can improve mood, decrease pain and anxiety, and facilitate opportunities for emotional expression. Research suggests that music can benefit our physical and mental health in numerous ways. Music therapy is used by our hospice and palliative care board-certified music therapist to enhance conventional treatment for a variety of illnesses and disease processes – from anxiety, depression, and stress, to the management of pain and enhancement of functioning after degenerative neurologic disorders. Max Lerman, Hospice and Palliative Care Music Therapist from Spiritual Care and Music Therapy at NorthShore, highlights some of the benefits music has on health and......

A Mindful Minute: 10 Simple Ways to Bring Peace to Your Day

May 24, 2021 - 08:30 PM Meditate for an hour every day unless you are too busy. In that case, meditate for two hours. I think of this line frequently when people tell me they are “too busy” for mindfulness. The parents and teachers and students I work with describe days of perpetual motion: school and work and activities and errands and meals-on-the-run…. “I just feel like I never have a moment to stop!” they tell me. Which makes me think, “If you don’t have a single moment to stop, then you need at least 60 moments!” Very few of us likely have an entire hour or two to devote to meditation and stillness each day, but......

How Much Sleep Do College Students Need?

May 19, 2021 - 06:05 AM College students and healthy sleep habits are rarely lumped together. The reality is, life for a college student is a pressure-packed mix of classes, homework, exams, activities, and perhaps even adding working full or part-time. Then you add the distractions from the college environment, and all bets for sleep are off. Sleep deprivation among college students is a reality. And while it may not be at the forefront of a college student’s task list, getting a quality night’s sleep leads to improved mental health and strength to deal with the challenges of college life head-on. Sleep is only one component for overall success, but it’s essential enough to make a......

How Does Music Affect Your Mood and Level of Happiness?

May 14, 2021 - 03:13 PM Whether you are angry or frustrated, happy or cheerful, sad or anxious, when you listen to music, it can transport you to your happy place. There is just something about those melodious notes that enchant your soul. The fascinating thing about music is that it is a universal language. While the lyrics of a song can be in a language that is foreign to you, the music itself will never seem too strange. Music makes you happier and less anxious and gives you energy. But why exactly does music affect your mood and level of happiness? There is a study that backs the claim that music has a positive effect on your mood. People who begin their days with songs are more cheerful......

How to Create Your Own At Home Spa for the Ultimate Relaxation

April 26, 2021 - 06:00 AM We all need a bit of me-time to relax, unwind, and enjoy a little pampering. You don’t have to pay a lot of money to get a spa’s amazing experiences if you create your own at home. With a few simple tweaks and tips, you can enjoy your very own at-home spa for the perfect way to practice a little bit of self-care. We’ve put together an awesome list of ideas to help you relax and create a DIY spa that’ll have you feeling calm and serene. Set the mood in order to create your very own spa at home, you’ll need to set the mood. From finding the perfect spa space to supplies and lighting, here are some tips to get you started on your journey to total relaxation. Set......

The Ultimate Guide To Make Your Bedroom a Relaxing Oasis

April 19, 2021 - 05:17 PM Your bedroom is where you spend lots of time, so it’s important to create a space that’s peaceful, calm, and inviting. We have some ideas to help you make your bedroom a relaxing oasis. From the most soothing paint colors to lighting, bedding, temperature, and aromatherapy, there are many things you can do to enhance your sleep environment. Here are some ideas to make your bedroom a soothing place of slumber. Reasons to Transform Your Bedroom into a Calming Oasis There are a ton of benefits to transforming your room into a calming oasis. You’ll be more relaxed and have better sleep when you feel comfortable and at home in your bedroom. That’s not......

Tiny Wisdom: Remembering the Good Things

April 06, 2021 - 02:27 PM “Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift.” ~Albert Einstein As I was walking to my apartment just now, I heard the voice of a child who was walking in the same direction with an adult across the street. With his enthusiastic, high-pitched voice he asked, “Remember we went on a plane? And it was really, really high in the sky?” Then just a few seconds later he asked, “Remember we saw a baseball game?” And then a few seconds after that, “Remember we had spaghetti?” A part of me wanted to keep walking parallel from them, even when I arrived at my place. I wondered: What else might he remember? What else did he......

News

Music as Medicine: The Healing Power of Music

10 Simple Ways to Bring Peace to Your Day

The Uses and Benefits of Music Therapy

9 Health Benefits of Music

A Mindful Minute: 10 Simple Ways to Bring Peace to Your Day

How Much Sleep Do College Students Need?

How Does Music Affect Your Mood and Level of Happiness?

How to Create Your Own At Home Spa for the Ultimate Relaxation

The Ultimate Guide To Make Your Bedroom a Relaxing Oasis

Tiny Wisdom: Remembering the Good Things

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