In the seventh century (as the poet Pratinas wrote), Sparta was suffering from a plague, and an oracle recommended bringing in Thaletas, a Crete composer, to help. Thaletas with his mighty paean, which is a communal holy song designed for purification, is credited with driving out the plague. Even people in 4,000 BC used music to relieve stress, and this concept could go as far back as the Paleolithic era1.
Modern day research takes a different approach. It suggests that creative activities can have a healing and protective effect on mental well-being, promote relaxation, provide a means of self-expression, reduce blood pressure, reduce stress, and even boost the immune system2. In fact, cortisol will decrease in response to relaxing music3, 4.
Music is thought to affect us through four different factors: our auditory system, our physical involvement (i.e., body movement, singing, feeling the sound vibrations, etc.), our social engagement, and our personal response (liking the music or having an emotion because of it)3. In one model, stress affects us physiologically and psychologically. The physical involvement with music will change the physiological response, and the social aspect and personal response we have with the music will change our psychological response. These changes go to the central nervous system, which is linked to the auditory system5 that allows the tempo and key of the music to directly affect the central nervous system. The central nervous system, endocrine system, autonomic nervous system, physical responses, and immune system all affect each other3. In other words, (in their model of psychoneuroimmunology of music), music limits the effects that stress has on us by changing our body and mind’s reactions. It is this ancient belief in the mind-body connection that psychoneuroimmunology rests6.
In music therapy, we often talk about the difference between active and passive music engagement. Here are a few musical activities you can do with music to strengthen your immune system:
“sIgA is often interpreted as a marker of the local immune system in the upper respiratory tract and as a first line of defense against bacterial and viral infections” (p. 463)12. In short, SIgA is responsive to music engagement, both active and passive2 and even increases with a positive affect13. SIgA will increase the most when you like the music you are using8. So, find some time to enjoy yourself with music, move while you do it, and use that mind-body connection to strengthen your immune system.
1. West (2000), 2. Leckey (2011), 3. Fancourt et al. (2014),
4. Kreutz, Murcia, & Bongard (2012), 5. Appler & Goodrich (2011), 6. Fancourt (2015)
7. Kuhn (2002), 8. McCraty et al. (1996), 9. Bartlett et al. (1993), 10. Fancourt et al., (2016).
11. Kreutz et al. (2004), 12. Kreutz, Murcia, & Bongard (2012), 13. Pressman & Cohen (2005)
Modern day research takes a different approach. It suggests that creative activities can have a healing and protective effect on mental well-being, promote relaxation, provide a means of self-expression, reduce blood pressure, reduce stress, and even boost the immune system2. In fact, cortisol will decrease in response to relaxing music3, 4.
Music is thought to affect us through four different factors: our auditory system, our physical involvement (i.e., body movement, singing, feeling the sound vibrations, etc.), our social engagement, and our personal response (liking the music or having an emotion because of it)3. In one model, stress affects us physiologically and psychologically. The physical involvement with music will change the physiological response, and the social aspect and personal response we have with the music will change our psychological response. These changes go to the central nervous system, which is linked to the auditory system5 that allows the tempo and key of the music to directly affect the central nervous system. The central nervous system, endocrine system, autonomic nervous system, physical responses, and immune system all affect each other3. In other words, (in their model of psychoneuroimmunology of music), music limits the effects that stress has on us by changing our body and mind’s reactions. It is this ancient belief in the mind-body connection that psychoneuroimmunology rests6.
In music therapy, we often talk about the difference between active and passive music engagement. Here are a few musical activities you can do with music to strengthen your immune system:
- Passively engaging in music will still increasing your sIgA7.
- Listen to music: Listening to music for 30 minutes will increase your SIgA7, even in healthy adults8. Find a quiet place to lay down and relax. Sedative music (music with slower tempos and unaccented beats) would be good here, but the important thing is to enjoy the music.
- Being active while making music is a better way to improve your immune system7, 8. The theory behind this greater improvement is that producing the music makes it personal, which comes with a greater emotional response, which leads to larger endocrine changes7, 9.
- Drum: After one, 70-minute drumming session, cytokines increased and cortisol decreased. After the sixth week, changes in interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, interferon-γ, and cortisol indicated a reduction in cortisol, an enhanced immune system, and less inflammatory activity10. If you don’t have a drum, you can use your body as a drum, a table, or even make your own. Get creative.
- Sing a song while playing a percussive instrument7: For 30 minutes, sing your favorite songs while shaking a rattle or tambourine. Playing an instrument while singing will increase your sIgA. Have fun making your own instruments out of stuff you have around the house. Uncooked beans in Tupperware (or plastic Easter Eggs) make a great egg shaker.
- Sing: A choir rehearsing had higher sIgA levels after they sang for one hour11. Belt out your favorite tunes. Sing to your plants. Have a karaoke party with your kids.
“sIgA is often interpreted as a marker of the local immune system in the upper respiratory tract and as a first line of defense against bacterial and viral infections” (p. 463)12. In short, SIgA is responsive to music engagement, both active and passive2 and even increases with a positive affect13. SIgA will increase the most when you like the music you are using8. So, find some time to enjoy yourself with music, move while you do it, and use that mind-body connection to strengthen your immune system.
1. West (2000), 2. Leckey (2011), 3. Fancourt et al. (2014),
4. Kreutz, Murcia, & Bongard (2012), 5. Appler & Goodrich (2011), 6. Fancourt (2015)
7. Kuhn (2002), 8. McCraty et al. (1996), 9. Bartlett et al. (1993), 10. Fancourt et al., (2016).
11. Kreutz et al. (2004), 12. Kreutz, Murcia, & Bongard (2012), 13. Pressman & Cohen (2005)