January blues… It’s a thing. Christmas is ancient history, the excitement of the new year is beginning to die down and it’s just a bit too cold. But , once again, music is here to save the day. The health and mental well-being benefits of singing and playing music are well documented, but it does seem that the advantages of just listening to music are often hugely underrated.
Multiple studies have proven the power of music in improving mood, reducing stress, lessening anxiety and easing pain. Listening to music works on the autonomic nervous system, responsible for regulating blood pressure and pulse, as well as the limbic system, responsible for emotion. It has long been demonstrated that listening to music produces the same effect as gambling and eating yummy food in that it causes the brain to release the pleasure chemical, dopamine.
So, to get you on the path towards dopamine highway, we asked our lovely music place staff what they listen to in order to perk themselves up on a miserable January afternoon, and they’ve come up with a pretty mean blues-beating playlist!
Piano teacher, Gemma- ‘Last Night’- The Strokes
Piano teacher, Jill- ‘9-5’ – Dolly Parton
Singing teacher, Lois – ‘Every little thing she does is magic’, The Police
Singing teacher, Charlie – ‘The Wait’ – The Band
Woodwind teacher, Michael- ‘Sextet for wind and piano’, Poulenc
Guitar teacher, Kirk – ‘September’ – Earth, Wind and Fire
Drum teacher, John- ‘Saturday in the Park’- Chicago
Desk person, Ava- ‘Musicology’ – Prince
Desk person, Harriet – ‘My Old School’ – Steely Dan
So don’t let January get you down! Get these tunes on in the headphones and we’re sure you’ll feel the benefits (it’s science). As Bob Marley, in his infinite wisdom, once said, ” One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
Have a lovely week everyone!
