Sports, Music, and the Brain

Currently, one of the hottest fields in medical science is research into the brain—how it functions, what consciousness and memory are, biofeedback, behavior modification, and biological self-repair. Music plays an especially key role in brain research and injury treatment. For athletes, this can be a godsend. Because being in the right mental state while listening to music can affect one’s brain waves, which, in turn, can improve one’s overall fitness and health.

In Dr. Oliver Sacks’ best-selling book, Musicophilia, he investigates the profound relationship between music and the mind. In one passage, the well-known neurologist describes how he hurt his leg while mountain climbing and was able to get down the mountain before nightfall by singing “The Old Volga Boatman.” He said that he “musicked along” and the rhythms and melodies made his mind forget the pain. Later, in the hospital, he repeatedly listened to a cassette of a Mendelssohn violin concerto. Then, after weeks of struggling to walk, he stood and found that “the concerto started to play itself with intense vividness in my mind. In this moment, the natural rhythm and melody of walking came back to me... and along with this [came] the feeling of my leg as alive, as part of me once again.” This example of the healing powers of music is one every endurance athlete may benefit from.

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The body’s response to an injury includes a stress reaction but often, before an injury, there’s also preexisting stress. And stress itself may contribute to or actually cause the injury. In either situation, the related high levels of stress hormones can interfere with our repair and recovery. Music can help reduce stress hormones, allowing the healing process to proceed more effectively and quickly. Music also helps coordinate the brain and muscle memory. Think about the power of music and muscle memory in complicated dance routines. Visualization is a practical application of this for any athlete. Listening to music while envisioning a successful workout, or especially a great race, is a wonderful way to add more training without adding miles. I’ve extensively worked with many people who had serious muscle problems and found that through biofeedback—by improving communication between muscles and brain—normal function can be restored even in those with strokes, spinal problems, and brain injuries.

When we listen to music, the brain focuses on all the sounds, which in turn affect other brain areas. The more sounds, the more involved the brain becomes. In a piece of music with just a guitar and vocal, like a simple folk song, the brain will “light up” all over; lyrics may trigger all kinds of memories; melodies affect other brain areas; and bass notes can awaken still other brain regions, and so on. A song about social injustice might get the brain working more diligently than simple nonsense or pop lyrics. The act of listening to a full symphony orchestra playing a complex piece of music will let an enormous number of sounds enter the brain. In turn, this can increase blood flow to the brain, bringing in more nutrients to help brain function—including those areas that control our muscles, ranging from relaxation to power. As a simple experiment, spend a few minutes listening to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons or Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony—not while doing something else or as background music. Close your eyes and let the auditory experience take over your brain. Or, go to my Web site at www.PhilMaffetone.com and listen to the song “Rosemary” during your five-minute respiratory biofeedback session.