5 clinical articles on the effects of music on health

Researchers are finding that listening to music can benefit you physically and mentally.

In fact, listening to upbeat music that you like can actually promote the functioning of blood vessels. And it’s also to be a great motivator of physical activity.

So David Floyd asked my group to offers “your thoughts and knowledge on the role that music might play in maintaining and improving health. Am sure there is lots of information out there, so I am looking forward to your replies.”

David Floyd is Medical Communications Director at Flutter+Wow, a UK-based multi-disciplinary creative and strategic communications agency. They’re a team of talented people with two offices: the leafy Henley-On-Thames and White Roding, Essex. David joined F+W in November 2008 to help integrate top quality med comms into their existing digital and advertising offerings.

Here’s my reply --

When building a health science and technology brand, I encourage our teams to appeal to all the senses so that the brand becomes memorable. Too often, branding initiatives can get stuck on just the visual details -- but what about going beyond visual branding to sonic branding?

The element of sound could connect a brand to enjoyable (and now, more healthy) feelings.

For your further reading about music effects on health, begin with these links...

1. Music, immunity and cancer
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T99-45XRK15-8&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=462385a5a539289f9012bcc2ae839f3c

2. The effect of music type on running perseverance and coping with effort sensations
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6W6K-47RRR8T-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=b3dd99cbf5b466651ecc65ead518bc55

3. Music Therapy: Notes from Research and Clinical Practice
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/act.2004.10.251

4. Adjuvant and alternative analgesia
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0034-70942006000500012&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en

5. Through the Lens of the Artist-Scientist: Reflections for the Pediatric Oncology Nurse
http://jpo.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/7/1/4