Sunday Brain Workout

Improve your brain health in 5 minutes or less

“I’m too busy,” is no excuse. Everyone can find 5 extra minutes.

Mozart Effect

Listening to music has been reported to confer multiple brain benefits. Regular audiophiles may enjoy improved cognitive (thinking) function and avoid the decline that may be associated with dementia and the deteriorating function of the aging brain. What’s more, hearing music may alter brain structure in a way that improves behavior, mood (emotion) and ability to socialize

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Besides all that, Listening to music has the potential to deliver therapeutic benefits that can be quite dramatic. Epilepsy, a brain disorder that causes seizures, may sometimes become resistant to medication. In 2020, one group of Canadian doctors tested an unorthodox adjuvant treatment and prescribed a daily dose of Mozart listening to their patients (Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448). Listening to Mozart worked wonders and the scientists reported a significant reduction in seizure frequency. In another report, published in 2021, Dartmouth scientists used machine listening algorithms to demonstrate that the same Mozart piece (you can watch/listen here (

)) has a calming effect on the brain's frontal lobes. And, even if you’re rapidly bored by classical music (perish the thought!), the beneficial effects don’t take long to accrue. The scientists discovered that it took less than two minutes of Mozart to affect the brain.

Although few composers deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Mozart, his music is not to everyone’s taste. And that’s OK. It turns out that it’s the music that you like best that’s best for your brain. And the genre of music (from classical to country) or the musical artist (Creedence Clearwater Revival to Kanye West) that’s best for your brain depends on the unique wiring of your brain. Your brain’s ‘fingerprint’ determines your individual preference, just like your unique palate determines your favorite flavor of ice cream.Learning to play music may be even better for the brain than listening. 

Want to boost your brain even more? Playing or practicing music, or singing, may change the structure and function of the hippocampus (part of the brain responsible for memory).

What you can do in 5 minutes or less: Turn on the radio, close your eyes and relax to your favorite tune.

Want to learn more about music and your brain? Check out https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/music-and-your-brain 

For another 18 brain workouts, check out https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/19-brain-workouts