Music Therapy - the Real Science Behind the Theory

Music therapy is the prescribed use of music and musical interventions in order to restore, maintain, and improve emotional, physical, physiological, and spiritual health and well-being. So one finds the selections under the New Age/Relaxation section of the record store about as relaxing as water torture? Just because one's taste runs more to Sousa than to soothing doesn't mean one can't reap all these relaxation benefits music is supposed to have.
Music therapy works primarily by changing moods, which alters brain chemistry.
This can have many effects--making concentration easier, easing anxiety and fostering patience. "Music," as the old saying goes, "has charms to soothe the savage beast." It can improve a person's psychological, cognitive, and social functioning--especially when it has familiar lyrics that evoke pleasant memories and a strong , repetitive beat that makes it easy to follow along. …