10 Reasons You Should Be Listening To More Music

The power of a good song doesn't stop at your ears — it can also affect your body and soul. Celebrate the power of music this summer with Café Bustelo.

1. Your heartbeat will speed up or slow down to match the music you're listening to.

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According to Luciano Bernardi, a professor of medicine at the University of Pavia in Italy, "Music induces a continuous, dynamic — and to some extent predictable — change in the cardiovascular system."

2. Listening to sad music can actually improve the listener's mood.

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This is because when we perceive the sadness of the music, our own emotions seem less tragic in comparison.

3. You don't actually choose your favorite song.

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Your favorite song has little to do with the quality of the song and more with the deep emotion or memory you associate with it.

4. Music can make food taste better.

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The right song paired with the right food can increase the enjoyment of that food. A study showed that listening to jazz while eating chocolate "modulated flavor pleasantness and overall acceptability of chocolate." Listening to hip-hop while eating chocolate did not have the same effect.

5. Music at a moderate volume can up your creativity.

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What this means is that a moderate level of music (not too low, not too high) distracts you at a perfect level that prevents you from processing things as you normally would, causing you to explore more creative methods.

6. You can actually get addicted to music.

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Music that moves you causes the brain to release dopamine, the same chemical released by the brain as a reaction to delicious food, pleasure, and gambling. Levels of dopamine are directly tied to motivation and addiction.

7. Sharing music can create bonds between us.

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A study of 1,000 Finnish students showed that those who sang together in the form of a choir or ensemble were more likely to form an affinity toward one another.

8. You can start learning music before you're even one day old.

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Scientists from the University of Helsinki learned that babies recognized and retained music that they heard while in the womb up to four months after birth.

9. The music you're listening to will influence how you interpret someone's facial expression.

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More specifically, whether you're listening to happy or sad music will affect how you perceive another person's neutral facial expression.

10. Music can help reduce pain.

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Listening to music activates your brain's sensory pathways. These pathways compete with your pain pathways and can reduce pain by shifting focus.