One article offers some insight into how our minds respond when we hear different types of music:

“There is something about music that evolves over time, as do emotions. When we hear the song we re-live the emotional sequence that happened when we first heard it… it draws you into a sequence of re-lived experience.”

Not entirely unrelated, another article that I came across actually goes into some detail about doctors who use music for healing purposes:

“Michael DeBakey, who in 1966 became the first surgeon to successfully implant an artificial heart, is on record saying: “Creating and performing music promotes self-expression and provides self-gratification while giving pleasure to others. In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients.”

The article later quotes a feature in USA Today, about music therapy:

“The article reported results of an experiment in which researchers from the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, Pa., tracked 111 cancer patients who played drums for 30 minutes a day. They found strengthened immune systems and increased levels of cancer-fighting cells in many of the patients.”

So there you have it. Of course, the research is far from definite, but at least we can admit to this: not only is music a great form of entertainment, but it can actually assist us in our happiness, development, and health. I am sure we have all heard the old phrase, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” That may still hold true, but maybe we should all begin saying, “A tune a day…”