Wired for Music: A Search for Health and Joy Through the Science of Sound

The author of "The Body Keeps the Score" explores how music can be a source of health, resilience, connection, and joy, and how it can stimulate core memory, motor, and emotion centers in the brain. Adriana Barton learned the hard way, studying the cello for nearly two decades and suffering physical injuries and emotional scars. "Wired for Music" combines science and story to show how our species' age-old connection to melody and rhythm is wired inside us.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 21 September 2023
Publisher: Greystone Books,Canada

“Beautifully written… a riveting account of how melodies and rhythms connect us,and help us deal with alienation and anxiety.”—Dr. Bessel van der Kolk,author of The Body Keeps the Score

In this captivating blend of science and memoir, a health journalist and former cellist explores music as a source of health, resilience, connection, and joy.

Music isn't just background noise or a series of torturous exercises we remember from piano lessons. In the right doses, it can double as a mild antidepressant, painkiller, sleeping pill, memory aid—and enhance athletic performance while supporting healthy aging. Though music has been used as a healing strategy since ancient times, neuroscientists have only recently discovered how melody and rhythm stimulate core memory, motor, and emotion centers in the brain. But here's the catch: We can tune into music every day and still miss out on some of its potent effects.

Adriana Barton learned the hard way. Starting at age five, she studied the cello for nearly two decades, a pursuit that left her with physical injuries and emotional scars. In "Wired for Music," she sets out to discover what music is really for, combing through medical studies, discoveries by pioneering neuroscientists, and research from biology and anthropology. Traveling from state-of-the-art science labs to a remote village in Zimbabwe, her investigation gets to the heart of music's profound effects on the human body and brain. Blending science and story, "Wired for Music" shows how our species' age-old connection to melody and rhythm is wired inside us.

Music is a powerful tool that can have a profound impact on our lives. It can help us cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, and can even improve our physical health.

One of the ways that music can affect us is by stimulating the brain. Research has shown that listening to music can increase the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure and reward. This can lead to feelings of happiness, relaxation, and even euphoria.

Music can also help us to cope with pain. Studies have shown that listening to music while experiencing pain can reduce the intensity of the pain and can even help to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with chronic pain, such as headaches and back pain.

In addition to its emotional and physical benefits, music can also help us to connect with others. Music has been used as a form of communication for centuries, and can help us to express our emotions and connect with others on a deeper level.

One of the ways that music can help us to connect with others is by creating a shared experience. When we listen to music with others, we can share in the emotions and experiences that the music evokes. This can help us to build stronger relationships and to feel more connected to the people around us.

Music can also be used as a form of therapy. There are many different types of music therapy, including music therapy for children, music therapy for adults, and music therapy for people with mental health conditions. Music therapy can help to improve communication, reduce stress, and promote emotional well-being.

In conclusion, music is a powerful tool that can have a profound impact on our lives. It can help us to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, and can even improve our physical health. Music can also help us to connect with others and to create a shared experience. If you are looking for ways to improve your health and well-being, consider incorporating music into your daily routine.

Weight: 360g
Dimension: 140 x 217 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781778401114