People with advanced Alzheimer’s can often still remember music.
“Why musical memory can be preserved in advanced Alzheimer’s disease”
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany studied why people with Alzheimer’s often remember music even when other memories fade. They examined brain scans in 20 Alzheimer’s patients and 34 healthy older adults, as well as 32 young adults, listening to familiar and unfamiliar music. The study found that brain regions linked to musical memory were much less damaged, suggesting that music can stay vivid and accessible even in advanced stages of the disease.
This points to something remarkable about the human mind: one might forget countless crucial details of life, yet the music we love and the urge to listen or play it can remain.
Pexels. Hands, Instrument, Musician . Pixabay, 18 Nov. 2016, pixabay.com/photos/hands-instrument-musician-old-1837104/.
Jacobsen, Jörn-Henrik et al. “Why musical memory can be preserved in advanced Alzheimer’s disease.” Brain : a journal of neurology vol. 138,Pt 8 (2015): 2438-50. doi:10.1093/brain/awv135
Some people may not enjoy music much, but they still feel like moving to it.
“The pleasurable urge to move to music is unchanged in people with musical anhedonia”
Researchers from Montréal, Denmark, and Warsaw studied 17 people with musical anhedonia and compared them to 17 matched controls. They found that even when people derive little or no pleasure from music, their spontaneous desire to move to the beat remains intact. Across more than 50 musical excerpts, both groups reported similar urges to move.
It’s a touching reminder that music can reach us in ways beyond words or feelings, connecting to something deep and instinctive within us.
“Man, Silhouette, Dancing (Happy Music)” by AlemCoksa. Pixabay, 25 Jan. 2022, pixabay.com/photos/man-silhouette-dancing-happy-music-6959506/.
Romkey, Isaac D., et al. “The Pleasurable Urge to Move to Music Is Unchanged in People with Musical Anhedonia.” PLoS ONE, vol. 19, no. 1, Jan. 2025, pp. 1–17. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312030.
Dance may be the most powerful exercise for depression.
A 2024 meta-analysis reviewed 218 studies with over 14,000 participants comparing walking, yoga, dance, strength training, and other exercises. All forms of exercise helped reduce depressive symptoms, but dance stood out. In 5 small dance trials with 107 participants, it had the largest effect on reducing depression suggesting it may be especially effective.
Dance combines movement and music, lifting mood not just through physical activity but also through rhythm and musical engagement. Music is not just pleasurable, it can push us to move and heal ourselves. When you are feeling low, try putting on a song you love and letting yourself dance, it could lift your spirits more than you expect.
Fig. 4 on p. 8. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. — The BMJ, Feb. 2024, Vol. 384, article e075847.
Noetel, Michael et al. “Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.) vol. 384 e075847. 14 Feb. 2024, doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075847
How music therapy can strengthen your mind and improve your life.
Researchers at Staffordshire University found that an 8-week music therapy program with 256 participants, featuring group singing, rhythm exercises, and improvisation, helped boost emotional resilience, improved overall well-being, and even increased employability. The study highlights how music can serve as a powerful tool for emotional support, helping people cope with stress, build confidence, and enhance their overall quality of life.
OmarmedinaFilms. Adult, Music, Listening image. Free for use. Pixabay, 17 Jan. 2018, pixabay.com/photos/adult-music-listening-sound-man-3086307/.
Feng, Yingjie, and Mingda, Wang. “Effect of Music Therapy on Emotional Resilience, Well‑Being, and Employability: A Quantitative Investigation of Mediation and Moderation.” BMC Psychology, vol. 13, 17 Jan. 2025, article 47. Springer, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02336-x.
Live music has a deep impact on us socially and emotionally.
“The Power of Live: Global Live Music Fan Study”
A Live Nation study surveyed 22,500 music fans worldwide and found that live music has a profound impact on emotional and social well-being. Attending concerts creates intense emotional experiences, strengthens social bonds, and helps people feel a sense of identity and belonging. Fans reported feeling more alive and connected during shows, so much so that in a poll, nearly 70% people chose attending a concert over having sex. The study also showed that live shows increase emotional intensity by about 53%, and post-concert mood ratings were five times higher than before a show.
Live music is not just entertainment, it is a vital boost for mental health and social connection.
Activedia. Crowd, Concert, Music Festival. 24 Nov. 2015. Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/photos/crowd-concert-music-festival-party-1056764/
Wallach, Russell, et al. The Power of Live: Global Live Music Fan Study. Live Nation Entertainment, 2018, https://livenationforbrands.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LN_Power-of-Live_WhitePaper.pdf
Why you should play an instrument, even if you totally suck at it.
Researchers from the Department of Psychology at Beijing Normal University in China developed the Enjoyment of Playing Instruments Scale (EPIS) and surveyed 638 adults across two samples to examine how playing instruments relates to well‑being. They measured enjoyment across three dimensions: social/learning bonds, achievement/pride, and cognitive refreshment. Results showed that higher enjoyment of playing instruments was strongly associated with greater subjective well‑being, including life satisfaction and positive emotions.
This supports the idea that enjoyment, not skill level is key. Playing a musical instrument can calm your mind and make a positive difference to your well‑being.
MaliAroestiPhotography. Guitar, Player, Music image. 15 Apr. 2020. Pixabay, pixabay.com/photos/guitar-player-music-guitarist-5043613/.
Zhang, Qian et al. “Relationship between Playing Musical Instruments and Subjective Well-Being: Enjoyment of Playing Instruments Scale.” Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 14,9 744. 26 Aug. 2024, doi:10.3390/bs14090744