Music Is Good for the Soul, and Your Health
Research demonstrates music therapy provides a wide range of benefits. We’ve all heard the idiom, “Music is good for the soul.” But according to the evidence, it’s good for your health as well. Study after study has found that music therapy has a positive effect on a broad range of physical and psychological conditions including dementia, anxiety, depression, and cancer. Music therapy is a service that can be delivered by psychologists, therapists, or caregivers in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and even outpatient clinics. The goal is to improve people’s health through music experiences such as free improvisation, singing, and listening to, discussing, and moving to music. Here’s a rundown of the recent evidence on music therapy's effectiveness: A small systematic review published in 2016 found that music therapy is effective in improving the mental health of people who are incarcerated. An analysis of five studies found music therapy helped promote offenders’ self-esteem a...
