The Healing Benefits Of Music And Dance

Find the melody, then move

There’s just something about dancing to your favorite music that seems to take away all the cares in the world. 

From the earliest days of civilization, music has been a powerful tool to heal the body and soul. It helps us tap into our deepest emotions and express and feel what can’t be articulated through words. 

Other than its entertaining value, music also does a lot of wonders under the surface. 
 

Especially for your mental health, so much so that music and dance therapy are professionally used to heal a myriad of mental health and mood disorders. 

So, how have earlier civilizations harnessed the healing powers of dancing and music, and how can the positive effects of these arts help you heal? 

The History of Music for Healing 

The concept of using music for therapeutic purposes is not new. In Ancient Greece, it was believed that music had a mathematical relationship with the cosmos. The Ancient Greek Philosophers believed in the healing powers of music to such an extent that healing shrines housed hymn specialists alongside physicians. Patients in manic states were prescribed the calming music of flutes, while those suffering from depression were told to listen to dulcimer music. 

And interestingly, music was among the first treatments for a hangover from alcohol. 

The healing powers of music were recognized and adopted by plenty of later civilizations as well. Drumming is a sacred act among Native Americans. It symbolizes the heartbeat of Mother Earth and is used to help in healing the sick as a way of carrying prayers and songs. Music has been one of the initial tools still used by Native Indian tribes for the treatment of a wide range of mental illnesses, physical conditions, and personality disorders, as well as inducing relaxation and increasing the intensity of shamanic experiences. 

Similarly, Vimbuza is a healing dance popularly used by Tumbuka tribes in Africa, and it remains a fundamental part of the indigenous healthcare traditions. The patients suffering from mental illnesses are treated by using a combination of singing, drumming, and dancing. For the Tumbuka tribes, the artistic and therapeutic value of Vimbuza compliments other forms of medical treatments. 

Using Music in the Workplace

Employees are actively seeking for creative ways to connect with each other. Considering the pandemic and the increase of remote work, music may be a mechanism for you to build virtual camaraderie. As an arts-based instructor, I implement music, dance, poetry, and art into my design and delivery because it allows learners to connect with the content in a powerful way. I encourage you to find your personal theme song. What is the soundtrack music that plays as you walk the halls of your organization? What soundtrack is currently playing in your daily life? Having your teammates share songs that describe the current state of the team’s morale or mood can give you keen insight into the emotions employees may never verbally express. Once you have gathered these songs, you could create a team playlist and spotlight one song a week. These little specialized team exercises are memorable and allow all team members to impact and improve the team culture.  

The Healing Benefits of Music and Dance for Mental Health

Research has proven that music has beneficial effects on brain chemicals associated with feelings of pleasure and love dopamine and oxytocin while at the same time lowering the stress hormone cortisol.

Furthermore, music is the language of emotional expressions because it is processed directly in the amygdala, a part of the brain responsible for processing mood and emotions. 

When paired with dancing, the compound benefits of these arts can have tremendous impacts on your mind and body. Let’s look at some down below. 

Helps express intricate emotions and reduces anxiety and depression
Music allows you to let your emotions out without having to say anything. It’s a way to process and dissolve the feelings that are too complex to talk about. You might have noticed that listening to angry music is therapeutic when we’re stressed or angry. When you dance while listening to music, your heart rate increases, and it works your muscles. This further facilitates the release of ‘feel-good’ chemicals in the body. It also serves as a distraction to escape the repetitive negative thoughts and instantly shifts your mood. A study showed that listening to instrumental, classic, or ambient music reduced anxiety symptoms up to 65% in participants. 

Improves your mood and provides motivation 
Anyone who has taken a dance or yoga class can confirm the tremendous impact it can have on your mood. Listening to uplifting tracks can help us quickly change our outlook on things. The emotional triggers in a song can change how you perceive a situation and make you think more positively. Dancing can make you physically fit, and it is a healthy way to express your emotions and vent off. Furthermore, listening to upbeat tracks can help improve your willpower and give you a motivational boost to get up and get going. Researchers have found that listening to fast-paced music can make people work better. That’s why you find it easier to exercise more intensely when you’re listening to music. 

Improves memory, confidence, and cognitive function 
Physical movements in dancing increase the flow of blood to your brain and help improve its working capacity. Binaural beats are special kinds of beats designed to provide a boost to your brain. Using alpha waves from 8-14hz is proven to help your mind get into a more sharpened and confident state. These beats are ideal when you are feeling nervous, out of focus, fatigued, or anxious. Your brain tries to sync with the frequencies in the binaural beats and switches itself to a more happy, focused, and confident sense of being.  

It provides an instant and safe escape 
As a child, I wanted to be a dancer, it was my earliest career goal.  Little did I know that my first formal dance opportunities would happen while serving in the military. Dance became my escape from a very regimented life. I have danced for the past 25 years to tell stories and express emotions. When I am dancing, I experience a sense of connection, euphoria, and freedom that I don’t otherwise have. Often, we’re too consumed by overwhelming emotions that it can make us harm ourselves, others or say and do things that we later regret. We need an instant and safe way to quickly turn over our mood without doing anything regrettable. Music and dancing are some of the safest and most effective ways to express your anger, irritability, or sadness, etc., and get back to normal in a short amount of time. 

Arts like dancing and music have helped people improve their mental health for centuries, and it still proves to be an enjoyable and effective remedy to this day. Feeling blue? Thinking you might burst due to anger? Take a pause, put on your favorite track, go out and take a walk or simply dance to your favorite tunes like no one’s watching and see how instantly that negativity loses its grip over you.

Resources Used:
https://www.verywellmind.com/dance-therapy-and-eating-disorder-treatment-5094952
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/music-therapy
https://www.verywellmind.com/surprising-psychological-benefits-of-music-4126866
https://www.starquestdance.com/benefits-of-dance-on-mental-health/
https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-2020/music-mental-health.html
https://www.openminds.org.au/news/5-positive-effects-music-mental-health
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-benefits-of-dance
https://www.palladiumprivate.com/blog/6-benefits-of-music-for-your-mental-health/
https://petersonfamilyfoundation.org/news/the-history-of-music-therapy/
https://discoverymood.com/blog/music-therapy-and-mental-health/
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/how-music-affects-mental-health

Antoinette L. Allen, Ph.D is the owner and Chief Storyteller at Two Cups of TLC, LLC where she works to help individuals and leaders embrace their authentic self. She is passionate about encouraging cultures of forgiveness and the pursuit of healing. She is skilled at facilitating and speaking on crucial and confrontational topics such as race relations and traumatic events. She is best known for her lively discussions and engaging learning atmosphere created by experiential learning practices and arts-based methodologies. She is the author of the book, Bras, Bootstraps and the Bible: Stories of Resilience.   Connect Antoinette L. Allen