Music is the universal language

There is evidence of music in every culture in the world. For our purpose, music is a tool to maintain brain fitness. Music is arguably the most powerful "intelligence" you have. Musical intelligence forms early -some researchers believe that music is hardwired into your brain before birth. Infants only hours old, respond to music and to the pitch, rhythm and cadence of their mother's voice.

We know that infants respond not only to music as we think of lullabies and songs, but also to pitch, rhythm and harmony. Many neo-natal units play soothing music as background to calm premature babies. It is believed that music helps these tiny infants to gain weight at a more rapid rate which means they can go home sooner. Most infants and young children respond well to music as a calming sleep aide. Think of a favorite song you sang to your infant and the pleasant memories that evokes.

Studies have been done on young children who learn to play the piano. Proponents describe a connection between learning to play an instrument and problem solving skills. Children frequently use music as a learning tool - we all learned the alphabet by singing it to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" (often incorrectly attributed to Mozart.) 

Children learn to perform activities as they sing the words to help them clean up and perform other tasks. As they get older children learn to memorize facts set to music. I know children who learn to name the fifty states as they sing them. More and more educators know the power of using music as a teaching/learning tool.

Music is part of our lives. Music is a memory tool. Try this... think of a song that you sang as a child, that you danced to when you were dating, or that was played at a Memorial Service. We all have songs that transport us to another time. Hearing a song can bring a smile to your lips and a lifting to your spirit. Music can bring tears. Music sets a mood and tells us what is happening without words (think "Jaws" as the epitome of this concept). Go back in time and pull the words out of your memory to a song you sang twenty or thirty years ago. It is good brain exercise. I give this exercise as "homework" in my classes on brain fitness.

Music is mainly housed in the auditory cortex, just above your ears - think headphones.

But we know that the creation, appreciation, movement to, and calming effects of music are located in different parts of your brain. It makes a certain amount of sense, that the more areas of your brain you stimulate, the better your retention and recollection processes will be.

Music is about the last intelligence to leave. Dementia and stroke patients respond well to music, particularly music of their youth. In my training I hear countless stories of patients responding to music, when they cannot respond to words. Music is power - use it to keep your brain functioning long and well.

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