Everybody knows music. Music is a pleasant flow of sounds in the air, which changes with rhythm and systematic method. According to the dictionary, music is an art of sound, which explains the ideas and emotions through the elements of rhythm, harmony, and melody. Music is considered to be a universal language, a truly unconquerable thing, owned by everyone and no-one. Music is a realm of its own, the world that people visit to get away from it all. A private release from the world where you could be where and whom you wish to be, with no responsibilities and no expectations, just you and your feelings untouched by society.
But besides that, music can be dangerous for our body and mental health, or maybe it can be a medicine? Let's see.
> Music is addictive
Listening to music can increase the hormone dopamine, the hormone that can make you happy. The use of certain substances or behaviors triggers the release of dopamine in the brain's reward system. Over time, the brain begins to depend on this substance or behavior and naturally releases less dopamine. So, over time the brain becomes dependent on these dopamine triggers.
Dopamine reactions not only affect one's emotions but also control one's motor skills and thinking abilities. So, for people who are comfortable with the tune or song that is playing, he will try to sing the lyrics or notes that repeat in the song.
Scientific studies that have been published in the journal Scientific Reports prove that music can provide its own 'pleasure' for the brain. The effect is said to resemble the effects of sex or drugs.
"This is the first demonstration to show that opioids in the brain are directly related to musical enjoyment," said the study's lead author, cognitive psychologist Daniel Levitin. He explained that the study looked at the chemical system of the brain associated with pleasure when listening to favorite music. The system is the same part that feels pleasure from sex, drugs, even delicious food.
Another study, in 2011 involving 10 people who experienced sadness while listening to music showed that music can trigger the release of dopamine while producing a very positive emotional response. In theory, the brain could potentially rely on music-induced dopamine production, but there isn't much evidence to suggest that this is the case.
> Music can be a bad thing for usÂ
There is also a downside that you can get from it and that has also been researched a lot. Here are some of the bad effects of listening to music.
- Decreased hearing ability
Listening to music nowadays is synonymous with using earphones. A study once conducted a survey of 170 children, which resulted in early tinnitus symptoms. This tinnitus problem should only appear when a person is at the age of 50 years. Permanent damage to the ear can occur if you use earphones more than 5 hours a week at high volume.
Earphones usually have a volume between 75-136 decibels. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that listening to sounds above 85 decibels for 8 hours or 100 decibels for 15 minutes is very dangerous. There is no need for the 125 decibel threshold to damage hearing.
- Reduce work and study performance
Research from the University of Wales shows that no matter what music you go to, your work or study performance, you will still lose out when you do it in silence.
