Benefits of Listening to Music

There have been many studies carried out over the years that have shown remarkable benefits for mankind through listening to music. It is an activity that is intrinsic to all cultures and is one of the few that involves using the whole brain. Listening to music is now often used for various therapeutic purposes because it is believed to improve memory and intelligence, improve physical development and coordination, reduce stress and blood pressure, and even reduce levels of pain.

                                                          However, music can also be irritating if it’s too loud or distorted, or if it distracts from other activities we are involved in. Most of the studies have been carried out using a reasonably good quality of musical reproduction. Quite remarkably, many people today and probably a majority of teens and late teens, are listening to a considerably lower quality level of music than their peers back in the 1970’s. Back then a basic hi-fi system, often consisting of just a turntable, amplifier and a pair of speakers, was a ‘must have’. Students going off to university would make it a priority to set themselves up with a decent hi-fi system  – and the quality  was, in retrospect, surprisingly good.