Music improves brain functioning
As annoying as the blasting rap at the health club might be, there's new evidence that listening to music while you exercise has positive effects--on the brain, not the body."Listening to music is a more complex endeavor than it seems on the surface," reports ABC News. "The human brain has to sort out tones, and timing, and sequencing of various sounds, to comprehend music. So according to theory, that should fire up the frontal lobe of the brain, the part of the brain that is associated with higher mental functions, like thinking abstract thoughts, or planning for the future."
And research suggests that's true. Participants in a study doubled their performance on an activity involving the frontal lobe when they listened to music while exercising.
Interestingly, a recent study of crisis care in a congregation discovered that music was one of the most valued sources of pastoral care in the aftermath of a crisis.
In response, I've encouraged my pastoral care students to use tapes of worship music or to sing with hospitalized parishioners as one way of drawing on religious resources in caregiving.
Now it appears music does more than bring comfort--it can help mental functioning as well.
.: Posted by Duane Bidwell on Thursday, April 01, 2004
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