How Music Affects Us Even When We're Asleep or Not Conscious

This post will be a departure from the recent music and learning topic, mainly due to recent experiences... This past week, I worked with two hospice patients who were very declined, one of which was actively dying. When doing hospice music therapy (I also work with autistic, pediatric and geriatric clients) this scenario is common. Often families, or even staff, will say something like "they won't hear the music, they're asleep..." So because this is a common response, and possibly because we might experience a situation where we want to use music ourselves, e.g., when we're having surgery or when we want to use music to relax, I want to address this topic. As I always say "a beautiful thing about music is, if you benefit from it, it is something you can use 24/7 with no side effects."


To start out with look to my site and go to the bottom left of the home pg. In the Resource Center scroll down to the MT Research Sheet (you can print this off if you like). Here, numbers 1-6, 9  are areas of research that either directly or in-directly deal with relaxation and decreasing stress. Take note that the bottom paragraph mentions "preferred music." That is the key to music benefiting any of us. This means that when we want to purposefully use music - we should chose it. If we don't choose it, new music that we're experiencing has to “strike us” favorably. All of us have different positive associations to (different) music. I mention this because if we're going to benefit from music when we are asleep or not responsive preferred music is a must.



Much music therapy (MT) research is done where individuals choose their music then either during or after the listening (or playing) experience data is collected. For years research has been done studying individuals when they are sleeping, and (I think) more significantly, when they are having surgery. Again, in the Resource Center scroll down to the MT Research Sheet. Look at # 9 which says “Music has been clinically proven to: AID IN SURGERY SETTINGS BY: DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF ANESTHESIA NEEDED; DECREASING BLEEDING AND SPEEDING UP RECOVERY TIME.” The implication (and fact) here is the music can induce a relaxation response. When we are more relaxed our body does not expel the (toxic) anesthesia as quickly therefore rendering what is given more effective resulting in needing less – which speeds up recovery time. The decreased bleeding happens because our heart is literally beating slower when we are more relaxed. You get the picture. There is a lot of research on this subject - such as...
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1990.tb01985.x/abstract and http://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/content/93/4/912.short

Also, for years, researchers have concluded that 90% of our cognitive (brain) functioning is for sub-conscious activity such as breathing, heart beat, etc... So can we hear when we're asleep, under anesthesia or non-responsive? Maybe not consciously but very much so sub-consciously! Again, there is a lot of research about this such as: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/surgm.html and
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21902776



I see this all the time in my hospice MT work. Patients and family members become more relaxed and less stressed with (their favorite) music. That is why I never hesitate to provide preferred music to someone who is non-responsive. It most definitely (positively) affects their blood pressure, heart rate, brain wave activity, etc. i.e., induces a relaxation response as evidenced by the research cited. Also again, go to the resource center on my site and look for the MT Stress Management monograph to find information about entrainment. This indicates more specific considerations regarding the purposeful use of music for relaxation.



To summarize... because PREFERRD MUSIC has been clinically proven to induce a relaxation response... and because our sub-conscious perceives music (even when we're asleep or not conscious) thus affecting our physiology and emotions positively... we should not hesitate to use music for ourselves or loved ones, at least for relaxation and sleep, but more specifically for surgery and dental procedures and for when a loved one might be more critically ill and non-responsive.

And I am very excited to be putting the finishing touches on my second music album for my site. It's called “Lyrical Imagery.” A free download of a song from the album, “The Ocean,” and an explanation and rationale of this project it there for your review. It is specifically for relaxation and stress management.

My prescription this week??? Grab the free download and use it to relax with. But listen to it with NO DISTRACTIONS!!! Enjoy...


AND!!!! Please share with others, like us on Facebook  and follow us on Twitter ... Thanks, David P.


 

Music: The Ultimate Learning Tool - Part 3

Thanks for visiting musicfromthestart.com topics and conversations. Here I want to address music therapy issues and concepts as they relate to preschool, autism and special needs children's needs. Also, I want to let everyone know that my new site: musicfromthestart.com is in it's infancy. Right now there is only one music album available. Very soon I will have my second offering, Lyrical Imagery. This album's history, purpose, etc. is explained on my home page section "free song download."And yes, grab the free download of "The Ocean,"one of the songs on this upcoming album.

Music: The Ultimate Learning Tool  - Part 3

I will start part 3 by briefly summarizing last weeks post, i.e., that is in my experience the purposeful use of music provides music therapists, parents and teachers a means to divert a child's attention towards learning and positive engagement. As mentioned, with music being a "primary cognitive experience," once attentive and positively affected, the child can learn and experience success from goal oriented music experiences, i.e., familiar music chosen purposefully.

Now, more specifically about how and why music is the "ultimate learning tool." Part 3 will address a very common benefit of music that is common in the literature but not often talked about with children, the benefit being how music can decrease depression. I am considering doing a research project on how music decreases depression in autistic children and possibly look at the effects on their families.  On my site musicfromthestart.com, in the resource center at the bottom left of the hm pg, find the MT Research Sheet and look at #s 1,4,6,13. Also my Stress Management paper talks about the positive effects of music regarding mood, for example...

"How music affects us is not mystical as once believed. Critchley and Henson (1977) as cited in Tsao et al., 1991 conclude there are at least three intrapersonal communication 

processes implied in the music health relationship.

First, because of it’s nonverbal characteristic, music can filter through the 

auditory cortex to the center of the limbic system which is the center of emotional processing. Second, music can reinforce the corpus callosum to stimulate memory response. 

Third, music can be used to stimulate endorphins that create a positive kind of 

emotional arousal- a feeling of being in love."

Last week I described a youngster who had spent the whole morning needing to be calmed and redirected as he was very upset. We had said that with music being a primary cognitive experience we have no control over the feeling and emotions it (music) gives us. So from looking at the above research, the fact that music positively affects emotions, stimulates memory and causes endorphin release, we can see why music acts as a primary cognitive experience thus decreasing depression. Two very important keys to this are 1) that the music is preferred music, and 2) that the individual then does attend to the preferred music. 

The literature has focused on this issue for many years. Some general examples include: Effects of Group Music on Depression...
and  Effects of Music on Major Depression...
Of course there are many more studies but few have been done with children. That is why I would like to do a depression study with autistic children in the future.

I will end part 3 by summarizing very simply that when a child's mood can be positively affected by music the "path to learning is greatly widened." When children are not depressed they can spend more time learning while being enthusiastic. Remember that music's effect on depression is not just cognitive and emotional, it is also physiological - considering endorphin release. Again, I see this very often, i.e., when a child who is upset or negatively focused ends up engaging pleasantly in music.

Part 4, coming next, will address more specific reasons why music is an ultimate learning tool.

What do I suggest??? Same as last week, i.e., identify specific songs or music experiences that you know your children have positive responses to. If you can't, start to use songs or music experiences repetitively and observe.

***What do I mean by music experiences??? Music experiences (apart from songs) can be: playing instruments, dance, humming, games with music, etc.

My next prescription???   Think of your favorite song, band or style of music and, with headphones, listen with no distractions for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Thank you, David

AND!!!! Please share with others, like us on Facebook  and follow us on Twitter ... Thanks, David P.

Music: The Ultimate Learning Tool - Part 2

Thanks for visiting musicfromthestart.com topics and conversations. Here I want to address music therapy issues and concepts as they relate to preschool, autism and special needs children's needs. Also, I want to let everyone know that my new site: musicfromthestart.com is in it's infancy. Right now there is only one music album available. Very soon I will have my second offering, Lyrical Imagery. This album's history, purpose, etc. is explained on my home page section "free song download."And yes, grab the free download of "The Ocean,"one of the songs on this upcoming album.


Music: The Ultimate Learning Tool  - Part 2

I will start part 2 by briefly summarizing last weeks post, i.e., in my experience the purposeful use of music provides preschool children including those with autism and other special needs feelings of control and safety. Because music is so emotionally and physically engrained in us, and when heard often and repetitively, music can be a comforting complement to teaching and learning.

Now, more specifically about how and why music is the "ultimate learning tool." Yesterday, again at S.A.I.L (the autism school where I am the music therapist), a youngster had spent the whole morning needing to be calmed and redirected as he was very upset. At 11:30AM it was time for our music therapy (MT) class. From the moment of our first music piece he sat down, was direct-able and engaged very actively and happily for the duration of the class. The 30 minutes of our MT class had the youngster more settled and ready to learn - than the whole morning prior to the MT class.

As I said in my previous post... "So what's going on here? What is it about music that elicits such responses?"

An aspect of music that I see affect people often, no matter what the age, is that of music being a primary cognitive experience. What this means is that when we hear music we have no control over the feeling and emotions it gives us. All sensory experiences are like this. When we hear, see, smell, feel and taste things, again, we have no control over the feeling and emotions sensory experiences give us. For example... if we are in a mall and a fragrance that reminds us of our grandmother gets our attention, whether we want to think of our grandmother or not, we will think of her. We can not control the thoughts that come about due to the sensory experience.

So, back to S.A.I.L... Remember from part 1, the music pieces presented in the MT classes are most often repeated so the children know them, often very well? With music being a primary cognitive experience, the first reaction the upset youngster had to the music was that of being attentive, engaged and happy. Why? Because those are the feelings and reactions he associates with music in general and to certain songs specifically (apart from the feelings and emotions that were upsetting him). And I know he has positive associations to those “certain songs.” Therefore when a music therapist, parent or teacher knows specific music will elicit desired responses, that music can be purposefully used. It is very common for teachers to report to me that when a child has “had a rough morning” then settles and actively engages in music, the rest of the day ends up being productive and positive.

I will end part 2 by summarizing that in my experience the purposeful use of music provides music therapists, parents and teachers a means to divert a child's attention towards learning and positive engagement. Also, once attentive, the child can learn and experience success from goal oriented music experiences, i.e., familiar music chosen purposefully.

Part 3, coming next, will address more specific reasons why music is an ultimate learning tool.

What do I suggest??? Identify specific songs or music experiences that you know your children have positive responses to. If you can't, start to use songs or music experiences repetitively and observe.

***What do I mean by music experiences??? Music experiences (apart from songs) can be: playing instruments, dance, humming, games with music, etc.

My next prescription???   Think of a sensory experience that reminds you of something very pleasant, a taste, smell, etc., and re-visit it!!! Then think about what we said about primary cognitive experiences. Try not to think about your pleasant association when, for example you're smelling pine or listening to ocean sounds. Good luck!!

Thank you, David

AND!!!! Please share with others, like us on Facebook  and follow us on Twitter ... Thanks, David P.

Music: The Ultimate Learning Tool - Part 1

Thanks for visiting musicfromthestart.com topics and conversations. Here I want to address music therapy issues and concepts as they relate to preschool, autism and special needs children's needs. Also, I want to let everyone know that my new site: musicfromthestart.com is in it's infancy. Right now there is only one music album available. Very soon I will have my second offering, Lyrical Imagery. This album's history, purpose, etc. is explained on my home page section "free song download."And yes, grab the free download of "The Ocean,"one of the songs on this upcoming album.

Music: The Ultimate Learning Tool  - Part 1

At S.A.I.L., school for autistically impaired learners, Dr Marion Boss came to me one day and said "David, that little song of yours, Line Up, has the children stop what their doing, pick up their chair and move towards the door... We've tried for the longest time to get them to listen like that..." she explained. As teachers play the songs everyday on the CD player "the children respond automatically to the songs' directives - while singing!" I have seen this kind of positive response to music for years, and if you think about it, you have too.

So what's going on here? What is it about music that elicits such responses?  Part 1 here will first talk about some larger, more global reasons why (in my opinion and experience) this occurs.

First, music has been around since the beginning of time. Ancient cultures' first efforts at making music (with voice and crude percussion instruments) was an attempt to mimic nature (including animal) sounds. So most of us do have an innate sense and appreciation for music. Second, groundbreaking work by Alfred Tomatis, MD (see: What Does Your Baby Hear in The Womb) identifies that a developing fetus hears 65% of all sound that is around the mother. So the old notion that the womb is this impenetrable chamber insulated from all sound is inaccurate. Not only do babies hear sound, they feel and are highly affected by mother's voice through bone conduction (vibration). So what is the implication here? Sound, and very importantly mother's voice, become part of the child's comforting (or discomforting) memory. And when you think about it, the sounds (words or music) that a developing fetus hears are most often repetitive, similar to sounds in nature.

So, back to S.A.I.L... Remember I said that songs that I do (live) with the children in our music therapy (MT) class are played everyday on the CD player at different times of the day? So the children are hearing songs with relevant directives, goals and objectives often and repetitively. Think about this... That's what we all did when we were young, i.e., listen to the same song over and over, watch the same video or DVD over and over, etc. This tendency stems from the fact that we humans are comforted by things that are predictable. Predictability equates to us feeling in control and safe. And particularly preschoolers, autistic children and those with special needs benefit greatly from predictability and the resulting experience of control.

I will end part 1 by summarizing that in my experience the purposeful use of music provides preschool children including those with autism and other special needs feelings of control and safety. Because music is so emotionally and physically engrained in us, and when heard often and repetitively, music is a wonderful complement to teaching and learning. Those are just a few reasons why music can then be a productive vehicle for teaching and development.

Part 2, coming next week, will address more specific reasons why music is an ultimate learning tool.

What do I suggest??? Use special music with your children - repetitively and often!

My next prescription???   Watch this YouTube performance. Even though this is not about children's music exactly - enjoy!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s87BoCRrbHI      

Thank you, David

AND!!!! Please share with others, like us on Facebook  and follow us on Twitter ... Thanks, David P.

Music therapy topics and more...

With the site almost, almost, almost ready  - to be functional - I am excited to think about the direction of my blog posts. This is all making me think of research topics I've explored over the years, many presentation topics I have presented on, music therapy patient interactions I have been a part of, etc. All of which translates to me thinking of so many blog topics that I can and will speak about. They will be music therapy/health and wellness oriented.

So, as I've said recently, thoughts of so many experiences since I was a kid are coming to fruition. They include playing drums when I was very young, learning guitar, music in college, playing professionally, learning computer (music) sequencing and recording, music therapy experiences, speaking engagements, etc..... I'm having fun putting all of these learned skills and experiences to work with the products and services offered on musicfromthestart.com.

How music affects learning will be my first topic... I'll explain soon!!!

My first prescription???   Go to a concert!

AND!!!! Please share with others, like us on Facebook  and follow us on Twitter ... Thanks, David P.

Site opening soon...

musicfromthestart.com As an experienced music therapist, David Putano provides original music that supports school age development and autism; video lectures to educate birth moms and dads on how to utilize music listening to support rhythmic breathing during labor as well as video lectures for long term care facility staff regarding noise awareness and it's negative health consequences.

In the near future other music products and services will be made available including music for pediatric patients that provides education and diversion for various medical procedures such as MRIs, CAT scans, etc., original music for memorial services that contain personal information about the deceased in the lyrics that families can special order, many more albums for the child development/autistic population, and more!

More music albums and lectures are in the works!

AND!!!! Please share with others, like us on Facebook  and follow us on Twitter ... Thanks, David P.