Bau’s Blaug
The latest news from “the Big Cheese” – Executive Director Bau Graves.
Good For You
The New York Times reported this week (March 29, 2009) that an Austrian company is marketing clinically-tested medical prescriptions that consist of… music. That’s right, they’ve conducted extensive controlled experiments that have shown particular musical patterns to be effective treatments for psychosomatic diseases, pain management, anxiety, depression, insomnia and certain types of arrhythmia. “Conventionally hypertensive patients are treated with beta blockers, which suppress the symptoms,” says The Times. “Music can address the psychosomatic root causes.” They claim that after a musical treatment “patients experienced clinically significant improvements in heart-rate variability, a major indicator of autonomous nervous function.”
And another groundbreaking study – this one conducted by George Washington University – measured the health differential between senior citizens who are regular participants in community based cultural programs (i.e. music lessons), and those who are not artistically engaged. All of the subjects of this study had already lived beyond statistical life expectancy. The findings are striking and unequivocal: the arts participators enjoyed “better health, fewer doctor visits, and less medication usage; more positive responses on the mental health measures; and more involvement in overall activities.” The study notes, “The significance of art programs is that they foster sustained involvement because of their beauty and productivity. They keep the participants involved week after week, compounding positive effects.” The report summarizes: its results “point to true health promotion and disease prevention effects.”
Those of us who have made a life in music know intimately its profound positive effects, both on ourselves as music makers and on our listeners. We know the power of the social matrix within which music so frequently unfolds, and the deep satisfaction of participation as a small part of a vastly greater whole. Now it turns out that all along music has not just been nurturing our spirits, it’s been helping to build strong bodies twelve ways, too. We shoulda known. No wonder Old Town School shines with such a glow of good health.
As a teenager, my Mom used to frequently yell at me, “Turn down that @#%& electric guitar!” Now I know the correct reply really should have been, “Keep listening, Ma. It’s good for you!”
Filed under: Uncategorized by Bau | April 1, 2009 | Comments (0)
