A Tid Bit From Danica

First of all thank you for your warm welcome! It truly touches my heart that you are so sweet ( it doesn't surprise me though since you are followers of this blog ). I went for a long drive yesterday after a hard day and boy does it make me feel liberated! I was blasting MGMT and rocking out on the road and got rid of the stress! Fall, although beautiful can sometimes be the start of a stressful year: New classes, back to school, back to ballet practice or whatever you do. Music is my main way of getting into a better mood...here is an article about how music is good for your health....thought it was interesting. Enjoy darlings!

• Let’s say you’re beyond stressed. Don’t reach for a drink– download some music instead. According to Dr. Michael Miller, from the University of Maryland Center for Cardiology, music triggers the body to release brain chemicals that ease stress and improve blood flow. Dr. Miller’s research found that listening to songs that make you happy relaxes blood vessels by up to 26% - the same result you’d get from 30 minutes of exercise.
• If your back is aching, music can help. Research from the Cleveland Clinic found that people suffering chronic back pain, neck pain or joint pain, who listened to an hour of music daily experienced 21% less pain than those who didn’t listen to music. It works by distracting you from the pain. Don’t forget to bring your iPod to your next dental appointment. A study published in the journal Evidenced-Based Dentistry found that music can reduce the anxiety patients feel when faced with painful procedures, like a root canal.
• Music can also help you go the extra mile when you’re exercising. According to a study done in Britain, people who listen to fast-paced rock or pop songs while on a treadmill exercised for 15% longer than those who didn’t. Why? Because you subconsciously match the pace of the music and are distracted from the effort you’re making.
• Music can also help you wind down and fall asleep. A study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found that people who listened to slow-tempo, classical music for 45 minutes in the evening, were able to nod off faster and stay asleep longer than those who didn’t. It works because soft music slows your breathing and heart rate – which helps your body transition into sleep-mode. Iit may take up to threeweeks of listening to music before bed to see results. You’re basically conditioning your sleep response. Once you’re in that zone, music works as well as a sleeping pill, without the side effects.