Music is good for your health!

The beauty of music is its ability to move your soul.

I was listening to Michael Franti and Speahead after having a bit of a disappointing late afternoon and I realized that in the span of one song, my mood turned from discouraged to optimistic- down right giddy in fact. The beauty of music is it's ability to alter your mood. It's something we need to remember to incorporate this into our daily life. When you have identified which music lifts your mood or alters it for the good, you can create your own reality. A single Ipod playlist can change your day.

A study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore discovered that listening to music that you find to be joyful or uplifting can actually improve your cardiovascular health. When participants in a study listened to happy (in their opinion) music, their blood vessels dilated by as much as twenty three percent. Meanwhile, when they listened to music that caused them anxiety, their blood vessels constricted as much as nine percent.

Music also directly affects heart rate as well as breathing rate. To slow down, relax, and meditate, listening to music that is calming can help you relieve stress and enter a meditative state. Decreasing stress levels is one of the best things you can do for your health, both physically and mentally, so when you plug into your Ipod, think about your choice in music and how it will affect you.

The next time you're feeling down, think about what kind of music you feel like listening to. Oftentimes we choose sad music to match our sad or depressed mood. When you catch yourself doing that, remember to choose music that feels joyful to you and listen to that instead. Before you know it, you'll be feeling better. One thing that happens in your body is that your brain waves shift to match the tempo of the music. A faster tempo will enhance your alertness and lengthen your concentration span.

To make a long blog post short....Music Is Good For Your Health!! So put on something you love, smile and know that it's doing your body good.

Terra's Happy Day Ipod Playlist:

Lovely Day - Bill Withers
Antelope - Phish
Say Hey (I love you!) - Michael Franti
Ups & Downs - Juggling Suns
Joyful Sound - The String Cheese Incident
Sparkle - Phish
75 and Sunny - Ryan Montbleau Band
Who Cares - Gnarles Barkley
Ray Of Light - Madonna
I Had A dream - Joss Stone
Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley
Last Dance - Donna Summer
A Little Bit Of Riddim - Michael Franti

Jill's Happy Day Ipod Playlist:

Ani DiFranco - As Is
Indigo Girls - Rock and Roll Heaven's Gate
Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
Jennifer Nettles - With Me
Liz Phair - Baby Got Going
Ani DiFranco - Swing
Poe - Hello
Regina Spektor - FidelityJennifer Nettles - With Me
Sugarland - All I Want To Do
Come on Get Higher - Matt Nathanson
Indigo Girls - Romeo and Juliet
4 Non Blondes - What's Up
Ani DiFranco - Jukebox

Lauren's Happy Day iPod Playlist:

Foux Du Fafa - Flight of the Conchords
I Got Mine - The Black Keys
Funky Kingston - Toots & The Maytals
To Be Young - Ryan Adams
Electric Feel - MGMT
Government Magic - Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra
Take Your Mama Out - Scissor Sisters
Fireworks - Animal Collective
Nighttrain - James Brown
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa - Vampire Weekend
State of Shock - Michael Jackson
Gold Guns Girls - Metric
Half Mast - Empire of the Sun
I Ain't Hiding - The Black Crowes
Long Haired Child - Devendra Banhart
I Love You, Awesome - The Phoenix Foundation
Crying - TV on the Radio
Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear

(you can download all of the songs above from Itunes!)