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Tristin Aubin
Kinlea Hensel
English VI
29th February, 2016
Topic Research
Everyday at some point everyone plugs in or jams out in their own way. We use this to
escape reality and dwell in our thoughts, but how does it affect our brains? Let alone how much
of the brain music reaches we all know and feel one thing with music. Music reaches to the core
aspects of a human being.
Music has been part of our brains far longer than we know. Levitin states, "The structures
that respond to music in the brain evolved earlier than the structures that respond to language"
(Music: Its In Your Head, Changing Your Brain). Therefore its been used to help with our
language structures and molded languages around music. Theres been studies of music therapy
on stroke and mental trauma patients who show greater improvement than those without it as
well. Other aspects of the brain music reaches include Brain regions involved in movement,
attention, planning and memory(This Is Your Brain On Music).
It has shown great strides in physical development as well. Humans are the only creatures
that move to beats. By playing recordings of relaxing music every morning and evening, people
with high blood pressure can train themselves to lower their blood pressure - and keep it low
(How Music Affects Us and Promotes Health). When your body listens to music your brain
releases dopamine, a chemical related to the emotions of joy and happiness, causing your body to
feel more at ease before and after painful situations. Music not only has the power of happiness
but it can heal as well.

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One main aspect of music is that it brings people together. Its been bringing people
together for celebrations, rituals, and concerts for centuries. Despite variation in any given
person's life experience, studies have shown that music listeners largely agree with one another
when it comes to the emotions presented in a song (Music: Its In Your Head, Changing Your
Brain) showing that genres of music dont matter to us when we all come together. It is an
emotional anchor for those who need it when they're feeling down. Music ties countries, races,
people together. Music makes each of us who we are and apart of the entire world.
Music has had an impact on human life far longer than anyone realizes. Its been used to
communicate and keep people together long before board games and television. Music is just as
much a part of a human as is his brain or heart. Music is more than just a sequence of notes.

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Works Cited
Landau, Elizabeth. "Music: It's in Your Head, Changing Your Brain." CNN. Cable News
Network, 28 May 2012. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
Landau, Elizabeth. "This Is Your Brain on Music." CNN. Cable News Network, 2 Feb. 2016.
Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
"How Music Affects Us and Promotes Health." Surprising Effects Of Music. EMedExpert, 18
Feb. 2016. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.