Baby Boomers, James Brown, & iPods
We all know that music makes us feel good, right? It brings back happy
memories, gives us energy, calms us down and generally feeds our spirits. How
does this happen?? Well, there is a process called entrainment, whereby the
components of music: rhythm, melody, mood of music, etc., synchronize with
your own biorhythms (heartbeat and breathing). Sooo, when you listen to a
favorite song from the 50's, 60's or even 70's, your brain and body are
flooded with memories, endorphins, dopamine and other "feel-good" chemicals.
It's the best way to get a "natural high." Give it a try!
If you're on the older side of the Baby Boom, like me, you grew up with the
Holiday music of the 1950's. Songs like "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus,
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "All I want for Christmas is My Two Front
Teeth." Hearing those songs makes me smile and my brain is flooded with
memories which in turn creates and flood of serotonin and endorphins. For a
brief period I feel no pain whatsoever and I am transported to happy childhood
memories and times. How about you??
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The
"Godfather of Soul" died on Christmas Day and he died in Augusta, Georgia,
right across the river from where I went to high school.
For me his most famous song was "I Feel Good" and
I can't help but get a big smile on my face when I hear that song. that song
actually does make me feel good and his sincerity just comes right through.
James Brown wrote a lot of songs that mean a lot to many people. I can't say
that most of it was my cup of tea but I certainly respect the man as a very
creative musician who had many barriers to break down in order to achieve the
success he did achieve. Long live James Brown!!
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Should
you take your iPod into surgery?
About a year ago, the site
www.livescience.com had this to say: If you're headed for surgery, take
your iPod. A new study by the Yale School of Medicine confirms previous work
showing that surgery patients listening to music require much less sedation.
Previous studies left open the question of whether it was music that did the
trick, or just the act of blocking out the sound of dropped surgical
instruments and other operating room noise.
In the new study, researchers tested 90 surgery patients at two facilities.
Some wore headphones and listened to the music of their choice. Others heard
white noise, that hiss and hum common to office buildings that's designed to
drown out harsh noises. Others had no headphones. Blocking sounds with white
noise did not decrease sedative requirements, the study found, music did.
"Doctors and patients should both note that music can be used to supplement
sedation in the operating room," said study team member Zeev Kain, a Yale
professor in the Department of Anesthesiology.
This is significant folks. Listen up! And please let your doctor know as far
in advance as possible that you want to use music through headphones or an
iPod. You won't regret it!
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Alice
Alice H. Cash, Ph.D., LCSW
www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com
www.DrCashPrefers.com
