Hind Louali on Music Therapy: Good for the Health

Music can have a soothing effect on the body and the mind. It is precisely why musical instruments have become a staple in music therapy. When it comes to children and teens undergoing treatment in hospitals, music can be a powerful tool in helping them cope with the rigors of their therapy.

Musical instruments such as pianos, guitars, and drums can produce gentle, rhythmic sounds that help to calm and focus the mind. They can provide comfort and strength, giving patients a much-needed sense of control amidst an otherwise chaotic situation. Patients can find peace and hope through music therapy, bringing them closer to recovery.

According to Hind Louali, music therapy can help reduce anxiety and relieve pain for people who are sick. It has been proven to improve breathing, lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate and relax muscle tension. Music therapy has also been shown to positively affect a patient’s perception of the effectiveness of the treatment.

A study from Northwestern University revealed that the cognitive benefits of a music class could only be obtained when kids are actively engaged in the music and participate in class. Simply listening to music isn’t productive. Since there’s evidence that listening to music doesn’t help, here are more reasons why children and teens should learn to play musical instruments.

Learning a musical instrument improves memory.

Hind Louali says that learning a musical instrument helps a child create, store, and retrieve memories more effectively. In hospitals, this keeps a child or teen’s brain working and can reduce their pain.

Learning a musical instrument creates a sense of achievement. 

It takes patience, practice, and time to learn a musical instrument. For example, a therapist typically sets short-term and long-term goals during a music therapy session. When they reach their goals, children and teens will have a sense of achievement and pride.

Learning a musical instrument improves coordination.

Hind Louali points out that our brain works at advanced speeds when playing a musical instrument. For example, reading music requires a lot of brain power. People who play musical instruments have better hand-eye coordination than people who do not.

Learning a musical instrument improves math skills.

It may seem that it only requires creativity, but playing an instrument has many parallels to math. Music and math are intertwined. Playing a musical instrument requires children to understand rhythm and scales. They learn to divide, create fractions, and identify patterns without knowing it. Hind Louali adds music wires children’s brains to help them understand areas of math. Hind Louali shares his insights about education, music, speech, and the development of children in his series of blogs. Learn more about him and his work by visiting his blog site. Click on this link.