Music - the elixir of life

      "If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music." -Albert Einstein

      It was a tiring day. I came home after writing the last exam of my third year in MBBS. I had not slept at all the previous night. I was up studying for my final exams; it had been the same for several nights before too. I had lunch and wanted to get some sleep as the exams were finally over. I went to my room and was just about to sleep. But then I saw my piano and simply couldn't resist switching it on. It had been lying there untouched for a long time. I wanted to play my favourite pieces on it, but I was very sleepy. So I decided to play for a few minutes and sleep. I started with my all-time favourite 'Für Elise' by Beethoven. It's a stunning piece. Its beauty cannot be described in words. Beethoven is rightly acknowledged as one of the giants of classical music. Then, I played another piece followed by another and that continued for a long time. I lost track of time. It was when I got a phone call from my mother that I realised it had been almost 5 hours. I was lost in the magical world of music. Music gave energy to my tired body and mind. I felt very refreshed after that. It was better than a good night's sleep!

      Such is the power of music, It heals your soul. It makes you happier and brightens up your day. Neuroscientists have discovered that listening to music heightens positive emotion through the reward centres of our brain, stimulating hits of dopamine that can make us feel good or even elated. Listening to music also lights up other areas of the brain. In fact, almost no brain centre is left untouched suggesting more widespread effects and potential uses for music.  It reduces depression and elevates your mood. It increases IQ and academic performance. It strengthens your learning and helps you remember better. It helps you sleep better. It also lowers blood pressure and boosts your immune system. It keeps your brain healthy in old age. It lowers your stress and promotes both physical and mental health. Research shows that it is even more effective than being administered Midazolam, a drug used to help pre-op patients feel sleepy that also has certain undesirable side effects such as coughing and vomiting. Other studies show that listening to soothing music while resting in bed following open-heart surgery increases relaxation. It also hastens the recovery of stroke patients and helps patients with Alzheimer's remember better. Some surgeons also prefer to play music in the operation theatre to keep themselves calm and composed.

      Music is indeed the elixir of life. Listen to music whenever you find time to stay healthy and happy.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.