WHERE WORDS FAIL

“Where words fail, music speaks,” wrote Hans Christian Andersen. AS I sit here an hour before the concert starts at the 40th Port Fairy Folk Festival, having gained a low seat piece of grass after fighting off the grey-haired die-hards, I have an opportunity to admire what music can lead people to do; such as queue up an hour before the gates open and two hours before any music starts – and these people are just like you and me.
Last year, research was carried out by the George Mason University on patients with dementia, the group was divided into halves with one group taught to sing selected songs, while the other half simply listened to the music.
The patients then participated in a cognitive and life satisfaction test and the group that were lead through the songs scored markedly higher than those that just listened.
The researchers concluded that there were five reasons why music boosts the brain activity of dementia patients: Music that evokes emotion that brings memories.Musical Amplitude and appreciation are two of the last remaining abilities in dementia patients. Music can bring emotional and physical closeness. Singing is engaging. Music can shift mood, manage stress and stimulate positive interaction.
A study conducted by Boston University found that, “people can learn things better if they’re listening to their favourite songs”.
This may explain why my sister, a primary teacher, has her class learning the four-times-tables to a One Direction song.
She said she even catches herself singing the multiplications sums to the song on radio.
So if you have something to learn but it’s not sticking, try applying it to your favourite song.
We all have favourite songs that make us feel happy when we hear them and songs that seem to restore us when we are sad and troubled.
Let music be an important part of your life – don’t just take it for granted.
Even think about joining a community choir. It will help you to good health in all sorts of ways.
Dr Erin Coffey is an osteopath at the Health Creation Centre in Ocean Grove.