Day 14: Thankful for Music

Today I am thankful for Music. I have always loved dancing, but I especially enjoy dancing with my children. When Austin was little, we danced all the time. We looked so goofy, but it made us feel amazing and the laughter never stopped. Today, I mostly dance with Natalie. We giggle like crazy and laugh so much. We love to dance together. Whenever the music starts (and it doesn't matter what type of music) we both jump onto the floor and dance together. She is truly adorable and Austin & Allan enjoy watching us and will join us as well.
Allan plays the guitar and Natalie is his biggest fan. She has been his #1 fan since she was born. She sits and watches him and you can see that she is paying close attention and truly enjoying the sounds coming out of his guitar. It's the sweetest thing and Allan melts every time.
Music is such a powerful thing. It can bring a rush of emotion that can be incredibly intense. Music can bring us so much joy and can also bring us to tears.  Music moves people from all walks of life.  It can can trigger such profoundly rewarding experiences. 
Here are a few reasons to listen to music:

IMPROVES YOUR WORKOUT 

Experts say listening to music during exercise can give you a better workout in several ways. Scientists claim it can increase your endurance, boost your mood and can distract you from any discomfort experienced during your workout.

Which type of music is best? The best type of music for exercise is thought to be high energy, high tempo music such as hip hop or dance music.

MEMORY LOSS 

For many people suffering from memory loss the spoken language has become meaningless. Music can help patients remember tunes or songs and get in touch with their history. This is because the part of the brain which processes music is located next to memory. 

Which type of music is best? Research shows that people with memory loss respond best to music of their choice.

CHRONIC BACK PAIN 

Music works on the autonomic nervous system - the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling our blood pressure, heartbeat and brain function and also the part of the brain that controls feelings and emotions. According to one piece of research, both these systems react sensitively to music.

When slow rhythms are played, our blood pressure and heartbeat slow down which helps us breathe more slowly, thus reducing muscle tension in our neck, shoulders, stomach and back. And experts say that apart from physical tension, music also reduces psychological tension in our mind.

In other words when we feel pain, we become frightened, frustrated and angry which makes us tense up hundreds of muscles in our back. Listening to music on a regular basis helps our bodies relax physically and mentally, thus helping to relieve - and prevent - back pain

Which type of music is best? Experts believe any type of classical music such as Mozart or Beethoven can help relieve muscle pain. Calm, slow music is also thought to help. 

So there you go...Now get up and dance! 
After all, Music is FUN and motivating!