Is Music A Therapy
September 9, 2009admin No Comments »You’ll be in trouble with the law if you play your music too loudly in Rochester, New
York. Anyone found Violating local and state noise by means of overly Ordinances
loud “boom boxes,” Stereos, motorcycles, automobiles or loud partying will be
ticketed.
New York City has also begun to oppose the bombardment of noise. Its Department
of Environmental Protection has a Quality of Life Hotline. 70% of the calls received
Concern noise.There is a citywide group (with a somewhat unfortunate acronym)
called Friends Against Noisy New York. On April 25th, there were observances of
International Noise Awareness Day. The mayor also established Operation Silent
Night, excessive noise in New
York City.
It’s not that the state of New York is less tolerant than the rest of us. It’s that
they’ve realized something a lot of communities do not know yet.
We all know that we’re more exposed to excessive noise today than at any other
time in history. Modern life can seem like an ongoing struggle to rise above the din.
Home life fills our ears with barking dogs, air conditioning units, televisions, boom
boxes and the kitchen vent-a-hood. When we leave the house or office, we yell to
be heard over construction projects, car alarms, traffic and other people’s music.
What New Yorkers have found and the rest of us need to know is that noise
pollution is more than just annoying; It can be dangerous. One Rochester police
officer explains that when blasting music in Neighborhoods goes unchecked, it
Indicates that respect is not required. “This type of environment is friendly to other,
more serious types of crimes, “he says. That’s why police officers and neighborhood
Noise is not only a health issue for communities, but also for individuals. Research
has shown dramatic physiological effects from exposure to excessive noise. In
addition to its damage to the ears, Dr.. Luther Terry, former U.S. Surgeon General
identifies a host of other negative health effects due to noise.
The Surgeon General echoes the voices of many health professionals. Researchers
have found that after extended exposure to high noise such as aircraft flyovers or
workplace noise, blood pressure rises as much as 30%. Increasing the negative
impact is the fact that blood pressure stays at that elevated level for a significant period after the exposure ends.
You do not have to live near an airport to be affected by traffic. Even noise that we
might consider moderate has its effect. A Germany study found that those living on busy streets were 20% more likely to have a heart attack than those living on a quiet
one.
Studies have also linked learning problems to noise. It Affects the ability of children
to learn to speak, to read, and to acquire knowledge in schools. These effects have
been documented near airports, train tracks and major roadways. The inability to
hear and understand all that a teacher is saying can translate to poor grades and
could even lead to a higher dropout rate in schools.
Moreover, noise pollution has impact on the behavior of both children and adults.
One study looked at how passers-by responded to a person in need in the presence
of noise. While a noisy lawn mower roared nearby, a woman with a broken arm
dropped some books and tried to pick them up. No one stopped to help her.
With all that being said, it’s no wonder that Americans have more problems with
sleeping, concentrating and dealing with stress in our noise-polluted environment.
Fortunately, there is more to sound than the negative effects of noise. The opposite
of noise is music.
The full benefits of music therapy are still being studied, but we know of quite a few
already. Studies in mental health, for example, have shown that music therapy is
effective in relieving anxiety and stress, promoting relaxation and treating
depression. Music therapy allows people with emotional problems to explore
feelings, make positive changes in mood, practice problem solving, and resolving
conflicts.
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