If you are a music lover then you already know how it can help you to feel inspired or calm. However, did you know that these effects occur on a neural level too? When we hear music, we love it when the dopamine brain, a naturally occurring happy chemical, is released. We use music to motivate us to do more, work out longer and even help us relax at the end of a long day. Now with an influx of technology, we can access music just about everywhere we go, thanks to earbuds connected to smartphones. Innovation in music technology can also be found in the latest hearing aid technology, shaping the future of hearing health.

Exploring the Neurological Benefits of Learning Music

Research on the effect of music on the brain has uncovered positive effects, specifically for those with musical training, on the circuitry of the auditory brain. The research explores the overlap in the areas of the brain responsible for processing music and speech. You may not realize it, but the auditory processing of learning to play music requires more nuance and precision than for speech input. Learning an instrument requires many areas of the brain to activate simultaneously such as memory, attention, emotion, language, timing, social skills, and even mathematical ability.

Health Effects of Music

Amazingly the music you love may not only help you travel to emotional places in your mind but has been linked to immunoglobulin A, crucial for support of immune function. However, music can also aid in lowering the stress hormone, cortisol, reducing anxiety and chronic stress.  There are specific areas of the brain responsible for analyzing and storing music experiences. These areas can adapt over time in response to listening experiences which many experts  attribute to evolving listening preferences. Music aficionados can enjoy decreased stress and increased motivation by listening to their favorite songs but for musicians the neurological benefits are incredible. Advantages of musical training on auditory system function have been observed in people of all ages. For instance, music training in children 0 to 3 years old has been associated with improved perceptual and cognitive function, as well as speech recognition in noise, pitch discrimination, and auditory memory.

Hearing as We Age

As you can imagine, early music training can give people a big advantage as they age. This continues to be the case for those who develop age related hearing loss. Older adults often experience improved speech in noise capabilities due to experience with musical training. Hearing loss can be incredibly stressful but with sharpened senses due to musical training, many find they have improved skills to decipher sounds in noise and determine the localization of sound. For Seniors who treat their hearing loss with hearing aids, many find that they may need specific programming different from non-musicians. Hearing aid amplification for older adults may require a different signal processing and fitting strategy than for non-musicians due to the fine-tuned neural encoding of the musician's auditory brain. This can lend itself to being more aware of background noise, requiring nuanced programing.

Music and Hearing Aids

Most hearing aid strategies are to optimize speech, but music requires a different kind of listening. Music and speech differ in several ways including duration of sounds and slower pitch changes. If you are a musician or if you simply appreciate music, your hearing care provider can easily optimize your hearing aid performance with a specialized “Music” program in your hearing instruments. Hearing aid technology offers specific settings for when playing or listening to music, offering richer and fuller sounds and a more dynamic range of pitch and tone. Instead of feeling like you need to turn up the volume to enjoy music, music listening settings on hearing aids optimize music quality so you can fully enjoy it without causing further noise induced hearing loss.

Your Hearing Health

If you suspect you may need hearing aids or are just looking for an upgrade keep music in mind. If you simply enjoy listening to a full range of sound in music or you play music yourself, discover what hearing aids can do to enhance your listening experience. Take the first step and schedule a hearing exam today and enjoy a return of the sounds that bring you joy and inspiration.