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It is widely accepted that music is a form of therapy. Most people know that from personal experience. Some types of music calms us down, relaxes our mind and even helps us go to sleep. Music is often used in combination with other forms of therapy to help provide an emotional outlet for the body to relax.

Most people are familiar with the power of music as an emotional and spiritual stimulus. Live musical shows, major public events and some church services are often very emotional and electrifying affairs in large part because of the music.

Of course, not all types of music can be used as a form of therapy. Fast-paced music for example tends to have the effect of exciting rather than calming people. Soft, easy listening music, in contrast, has a relaxing effect. You can find a variety of such finely tuned healing music in our collection right here. You can listen to song clips directly from the players, or purchase full albums in digital format or download single-track MP3s from iTunes.

Healing Power of Music

It is in medical therapy field that the power of music is best demonstrated. For example, music has become an integral part of professional therapy, usually in combination with other therapy techniques. The most famous case is perhaps that of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, whose family credited music as part of the reason for her brave recovery after a 2011 shooting incident that nearly took her life.

Music has also long been known to have physical healing capabilities, besides the emotional and psychological power. A report in the American Psychological Association website, for instance, recounts the combined analysis of 400 studies that demonstrated the power of music to improve the body’s immune system, besides also reducing stress.

Music is also now commonly used in reducing the severity of complex ailments such as Parkinson's disease, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Alzheimer. But perhaps the best indicator of just how widely music is accepted as a healing technique is that in the US alone, there are more than 70 universities and colleges that offer music-therapy courses, and over 5,000 certified music therapists.

How Music Heals

The healing and therapy power of music is the result of a mix of psychological and physical factors. As most of us know, relaxing music makes us feel restful and peaceful. The physical explanation is that soft music lowers our blood pressure and regulates stress hormones, which in turn relaxes our muscle tension. The effect is an improvement in mood which, combined with a boosted immune system, helps the body heal.

The same relaxation power of music explains why music is used in therapy. Scientific studies have shown that some parts of our brains are wired to respond to music. When those brain sections are damaged, listening to certain types of music provokes the brain to create new cell-pathways to bypass the damaged sections and restore brain functions.

Music is not just something for us to enjoy, it has remarkable therapeutic qualities. The effect of music on the human condition is backed up by years of scientific research, and validated by the remarkable testimonies of those who have experienced its healing power.