According to Dr. Maura Boldrini, professor and researcher in the field of neurobiology and psychiatry in the USA, “we found that an older person has the same capacity to produce thousands of new neurons in the hippocampus, from stem cells, as a young man (…) We also found that the volume of the hippocampus is similar (brain structure used for emotion and cognition) at all ages”.
However, it is also true that older individuals form fewer blood vessels within brain structures. Therefore, we must not forget that moderate physical exercise, combined with mental exercises, is extremely important to help prevent their decline.
There are very simple and enjoyable activities that you can practice to help you achieve this, such as listening to music. So, let yourself be carried away by music because it will help you to develop new brain cells.
The benefits of simply listening to the music you like
When it comes to keeping our brains stimulated as we age, some studies show that music activates the four hemispheres of the brain, which leads to an improvement in our brain activity.
The reason that music can help you focus is related to the fact that music stimulates neurotransmitters to produce dopamine, which directly affects:
- Humor
- Productivity
- Efficiency
- Creativity
Personal preference seems to be another important component of music's ability to increase brain function. Listening to the music you like can increase our attention/focus, because it messes with regions of the brain that control our emotions.
A team of Swedish researchers has found that listening to the music you love often can help balance levels of cortisol - the stress hormone. It can also be a great pain reliever because as it is distracting it increases positive emotions. Therefore, listening to music is associated with the reduction of both pain and stress, in addition to having the ability to improve symptom control in patients with chronic pain, such as patients with fibromyalgia.
Music helps dementia patients recall memories and emotions
According to neurologist Oliver Sacks, known for his documentary "Alive Inside", "music awakens emotions and emotions can bring memories... it brings back the feeling of life when nothing else can".
Early music training benefits brain plasticity in the future
Dr. Nina Kraus found, after a study in 2012, that elderly people who played a musical instrument as children had a faster brain response than individuals who never played an instrument - even 40 years after they stopped practicing.
It is becoming more and more common to become aware of the endless list of positive effects of music on our body and mind. So there is no excuse to deny your brain the "tuning" it deserves!
