Dinosaurs, Music and Mental Health

Music in its simplest and authentic forms has always been a part of history, humanity, and life. The specific origin/originator of music is not known but Archaeologists throughout history found numerous rudimentary musical instruments which age back to 35,000 years ago, proving that music has been in existence for a long time. The first-ever written piece of music, presented in cuneiform “alphabet”, was found in Syria and it likely dates back to 3400 years ago.

Hence, if music dates way back and still exists today in such an increasingly important manner, what keeps it relevant? Why do people not replace it or evolve it into something entirely different (like in the case of most technology)? Why can’t it become extinct like the Dinosaurs?

Here’s why

Music is believed to be a stream of emotion, Jeremy Motangu defined music as “Sound that conveys emotion”, meaning, as long as humans remain emotional beings music will always exist. Exist for dancing, entertainment, and even politics, but especially as a bonding and coping tool. Music is a bonding mechanism that brings people together regardless of race, age, or circumstance, legends like Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, Fela, and Michael Jackson showed us the beauty and force that music has.

Now, the medical benefits and effects of music have also been explored, opening new doors to the medical significance of music to the human race.

TYPES OF MUSIC

History is filled with unique musical revolutions prompted by outliers (outliers because of the authenticity of their sound, and type of music). These outliers and sounds gave birth to the genres/types of music we have today. While researching for this edition I was amazed to see the number of genres available, definitely further showing the diversity of music, however, these are the most common genres:

1. Hip Hop and Rap
2. Rhythms and Blues (R&B)
3. Rock music
4. Jazz
5. Soul music
6. Electronic dance music
7. Country music
8. Pop music
9. Christian music
10. Indie (Independent) music.

With many diverse others like Classical, Reggae, Funk, K-pop, Folk, Disco, Traditional, and Ska music.

MUSIC AND YOU

• Why do you listen to music?
• When do you listen to music?
• What kind of music do you listen to?
• Do you have favorite music artists?
• Do your preference for music style change sometimes with mood, place, or phase of life?

The fact you have answers to these questions, illustrating that you have preferences shows that music is tied to who you are and what you feel. Music can help you describe your emotions, and what you may want to say but cannot find the words, music can serve as a warm blanket and a tight hug. In times when you feel not/misunderstood, music and its artist make you feel understood, makes you feel seen. Sometimes you pause it all, take deep breaths, and close your eyes, as you let the lyrics and rhythms flow with the sound of your breath and the beats of your heart. Other times, it flows with the movement of your body and tapping of your feet as the beats from speakers guide your joy and excitement.

Music for a lot of people (more than you may realize) is all that keeps them going. Acts like a form of hope, a sign of trust, that says “Don’t worry, everything will be okay”. You may have heard that this evolved-evolving generation is the most depressed generation, because of poor communication regardless of the countless means of connections. However, music seems to be that thread that binds us all together, that portrays beauty, creativity, pain, hope, love, and humanity as a whole. Even without bringing in scientific facts, it is obvious that music is one of the ‘mumu’ buttons for our mental health.

PHYSICAL and MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS of MUSIC

Extensive research conducted on music and the brain effects it produces shows numerous powerful psychological and physical benefits:

1. Music reduces stress
2. Music decreases depression
3. Music guides you to feel your feelings
4. Music provides a sense of community
5. Music increases motivation
6. Music can build your brains capacity
7. Music is an effective mood booster
8. Music serves as an outlet for emotion and discovering who you are.
9. Music has strong brain benefits (This exciting read by ‘The Magazine of the University of Central Florida’ explains it the best:?

OUR DUTIES

Therefore, we have individual and group duties to uphold.

• Sing and dance while bathing
• Dance like no one is watching
• Do cheesy karaoke with loved ones
• Cry to love songs
• Filter the music you listen to, there are weird songs out there
• Close your eyes and take deep breaths as you listen to your favorite songs (regardless of other people’s opinions on them)
• Write that song if you have one to write
• Talk about your favorite songs with fellow fans, and then talk about other things
• Appreciate your favorite artists, they need all the love as well.

PS. All the while I have been writing this, I’ve been listening to Beethoven. You can’t go wrong with the right kind of music…??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

See you next edition: 27th April 2023