​The soft breeze riffles the lime-green aspen leaves, popping out with abandon along gleaming white limbs. The ground is carpeted in purple and yellow wildflowers. Red, orange and purple tulips nod their heads, and yellow daffodils push up above lush grasses. It is spring, and birds are singing. 

Bird song is an enchanting accompaniment to the vibrant visual of the outdoors, although it can go unnoticed if we don’t pay attention. The sound of birds singing is a lovely gift. It has real and measurable perks for humans, and serves specific purposes for the birds themselves.

Bird song benefits our mental health. Studies have shown that hearing birdsong decreases feelings of depression and anxiety, and improves mental well-being, even hours later. The studies found significant improvement with listening to audio clips, but being outdoors provides the added benefits of physical exercise and being immersed in nature. 

Nature in general gives us a mental boost and reduces stress. As I wrote in my blog post
Nature Nurtures Our Well-Being, being fully engaged with the experience is where we truly gain positive results. That full engagement requires deliberate focus - not always simple to achieve. 

Has this ever happened to you? You’re wandering along, so lost in thought that you are completely oblivious to your surroundings. You are in a world of outer silence, inner noise. Suddenly, you remember that you’re out here to listen to the birds. Oops. You tune in. And, lo and behold, your ears are inundated by so much singing it’s like being at an open casting call for the musical Hamilton. 

This has certainly happened to me, more than a few times. But when I stop to pay attention to the sounds in the treetops high above me, bird calls and song, shrill and low, short chirps and long bars of sweet music, I am blown away by this free concert. 
Here are a few bird songs I’ve focused on long enough to take note of:

• The haunting call of the Sandhill Crane, echoing across the landscape. It is a repetitive call / gurgle, in the dawn-mist quiet at Pearl Lake. 
• The clicking, trilling, lilting, whistling, chirping, warbling tunes of the Yampa Core Trail Avian Choral Society.
• The panicked, discordant honking of geese as they wobble into flight. Is the fervor of their honking directly related to their wing-flap velocity?

With all this music, I am curious: why do birds sing? This article (Songbird Survival.org: Why do the birds sing) helped me understand why.

The main reasons birds sing:

• To claim territory
• To attract mates
• To take part in courtship rituals
• To communicate. 

In some bird species, only the males sing. A song can indicate - to possible competitors and potential mates - the capabilities of the male. A long, loud song is a mark of strength and endurance, and the ability to defend the territory. A more complex song indicates a male who’s been around long enough to skillfully accomplish that piece.

How lucky that the way in which birds communicate and strut their stuff is such a blessing to our ears. And how lucky too, that the sweet singing of birds benefits our well-being.


Originally published June 2023

​“I slept so well after that massage!”

Over the years, clients have told me how well they sleep that night, after receiving a massage. Here are a few reasons why that might be:
The massage work increases relaxation, and so the body sleeps more easily that night.
Massage and the massage office or studio provide a break from normal surroundings, allowing the mind to disengage from the daily stress.
Chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin are released during massage, which support feelings of well-being and greater relaxation.
Massage reduces pain, and sometimes sleep is negatively impacted by pain.
Massage decreases stress, which then allows for more sound sleep.

In many studies, massage has been shown to increase the quality of sleep, along with decreasing pain, anxiety, and depression. This is important. According to the CDC, "Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression,” and sleep is vital in the management of those conditions. 

How awesome that something that feels so good helps us sleep better, with no over-the-counter or prescription side effects. 

Learn More

• American Massage Therapy Association Article: Massage Therapy Can Help Improve Sleep  Cites many studies about massage and beneficial effects on sleep and a variety of conditions.
• Sleep.com Article: Why Does Massage Make You Sleepy?

​
Originally published April, 2023

This year Earth Day, on April 22nd, celebrated its 55th birthday. To me, Earth Day has always served as a reminder to honor Mother Earth. From the iridescent teal of a magpie’s tail, to the delicate icicles from tree roots to stream, to the epic orange and pink sunset skies silhouetting Emerald Mountain. How lucky I am to regularly see bears and moose and foxes, to hear ospreys and woodpeckers and a literal symphony of birdsong. These are daily and meaningful appreciations. But Earth Day is special. Looking back on its history helps to explain why that is.

Senator Gaylord Nelson was the originator of Earth Day in 1970, but the environment was already on the radar thanks to the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, a New York Times bestseller. Her book detailed the harmful impact of chemicals on humans, wildlife, waterways and plants, and raised global awareness of these environmental damages, selling 500,000 copies in 24 countries. In 1967, because of Carson’s arguments in Silent Spring, scientists formed the Environmental Defense Fund to ban DDT.

In 1969, a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara garnered major public attention. Senator Nelson wanted to build that attention into a movement protesting air and water pollution.***

Senator Nelson, a Democrat, joined with Republican Representative Pete McCloskey and organizer Denis Hayes to organize nation-wide teach-ins on college campuses. They chose April 22 as it was a weekday between spring break and final exams, hoping to maximize student participation.

The day was dubbed Earth Day, and the idea caught on, morphing from campus teach-ins to a day of protests in parks and streets. 20 million Americans - at the time, 10% of the U.S. population - participated to decry the damage of 150 years of unchecked industry on the environment and human health. This movement was remarkable not only in size, but also in that it drew everyone together under one umbrella: Republicans, Democrats, rich and poor, business and labor leaders, rural and urban dwellers.

Did this massive turnout have an impact? It sure did. By the end of 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency was created, and several crucial laws were passed: the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act, and the National Environmental Education Act. In 1972, the Clean Water Act was passed.

Earth Day has continued to build on that original vision and massive turnout, and is a global movement. In 2020, for the 50th anniversary, over 1 billion people worldwide participated in Earth Day actions, and 100 million observed the 50th anniversary online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This year’s Earth Day theme is Our Power, Our Planet, focusing on renewable energy in order to triple clean energy by 2030. To be clear, various forms of energy production have both pros and cons. Learn more with these Earth Day Explainers.


***A little personal context: while earning my BA at UC Santa Barbara, I wrote for The Daily Nexus, the campus paper. In the late eighties, for my very first story, I interviewed one of the founders of GOO, or Get Oil Out, an organization that formed to fight off-shore drilling after the disastrous 1969 spill. 


Sources/Learn More
Earth Day.org:  History of Earth Day, includes a 1970 video with Walter Cronkite!
Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, April 22, 2025 podcast.
Heather Cox Richardson, Letters From an American April 22, 2025 printed version.

​Frailty: the condition of being weak and delicate.

In the Steamboat community in which I live, frailty is not common. Many people move here or stay here due to the high fitness levels and opportunities for recreation. But frailty does exist, even here, due to things like significant illness, aging, or even an inordinately long recovery from an injury or surgery. Though frailty is likely not on the radar for most of us, being aware is a helpful safeguard against whatever life brings your way.

*****
Frailty is often related to aging, but is certainly not an inevitable part of aging. Further, there are steps you can take to decrease your risk of frailty.

A person is considered frail if they display three of these signs: muscle weakness, slower walking pace, low physical activity, diminished energy, and unintentional weight loss. Now, to be fair, I experience muscle weakness, a slower walking pace and diminished energy on any given exhausting weekday. But consistently exhibiting these signs over a period of time, seeing the signs impact your normal daily activities, is cause for checking in with your doctor, as frailty can lead to falls or even dementia.

Be aware of pre-frailty signs, such as difficulty opening jars (weak grip strength), crossing the street taking longer than it used to, experiencing fatigue or having to take a break from activities that used to be no problem. If you are experiencing these signs, early intervention is possible - and again, worth an appointment with your physician.

So how does one reverse symptoms of frailty?

Increase exercise; lifting weights the gold standard of preventing or reversing frailty. 
The standard recommendation for exercise is 150 minutes per week. Strength training can include body weight exercises and movements with weights. Working with a trainer who is certified for your specific age group might be helpful. And modalities like Essentrics, yoga, and Tai Chi  improve balance which can help prevent falls.

Eat plenty of high-quality protein.
When you eat sufficient protein you preserve your muscle mass, and higher protein intake is correlated with reduced frailty risk. The standard recommendation is .8 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight, but some experts suggest more. Working with a nutrition specialist or dietician would be helpful here. 

Don’t wait to take action.
Best-case scenario is to establish the habits of consistent exercise and healthy nutrition early on, and to maintain those habits. But it is important to remember that it is never too late to re-adopt those habits if the curve balls of life have led you to frailty. This is good news - you can regain health - frailty is not a dead-end street.


Source/Learn More
The Optimist Daily: How to spot early signs of frailty and build strength for the long run.

​Imagine not being allowed to enter a running race because you are a woman. 

That was the state of things in the late 1960’s, when Kathrine Switzer joined the Syracuse men’s running team. She began running with an older coach, Arnie, who became a consistent running partner, sharing his stories from his decades of training and racing. 

One December evening when finals had just completed, Arnie showed up for their evening 10-miler, despite the blizzard conditions. Kathrine resisted but was finally persuaded to head out. They ran along roadsides, dodging cars, their canvas sneakers and cotton sweats soaked by the winter storm. At one point in their conversation, Arnie mentioned that a “girl” could not run the Boston marathon - a distance of 26.2 miles. Kathrine stopped in her tracks and held her ground, until they had an agreement: if she could run 26 miles in training, they’d do the Boston Marathon.

Kathrine trained all winter, without telling her boyfriend or her parents about her goal. She and Arnie completed 31 miles one training day, and the next day Arnie brought her the application for Boston. They had examined the rules, and nowhere did it state that females could not enter, although at that time the couple of women who did participate hid in the bushes near the start and jumped in, then jumped out right before the finish.

Switzer, a journalism student, completed her application with the name K.V. Switzer, as that was her byline. Her medical clearance required for the race stated her full name. Her application was accepted and she was officially entered in the Boston Marathon. 

The Boston Marathon is always run on Patriot’s Day, the third Monday in April. 

At the starting line on April 19th, 1967, Kathrine, accompanied by Coach Arnie, her boyfriend Big Tom, and Arnie’s friend John, were warmly greeted by the male runners all around. A few miles into the marathon, a press vehicle drove up, and race director Jock Semple jumped out. A large, imposing man, he began to physically and verbally attack Switzer, screaming that “no woman can be in this race!” He tried to rip her number off, and she managed to avoid him though she was in complete shock from the unexpected onslaught. Tom stepped with a body block that sent Semple to the curb, and the foursome ran on, worried about reprisal, or possible arrest. Tom accused Kathrine of causing him to get in trouble and ruining his Olympic chances for track and field, ripped up his own race numbers, and took off. Kathrine would eventually pass him, still on the course, and though he begged her to slow up and stay with him, she chose to continue running. 

She had begun to understand, not only from Semple’s attack, but from the variety of reactions of female spectators (loud cheers, frozen silence, hostility), that her finishing Boston was infinitely more than simply running a race, and certainly not a stunt which some were suspicious of. It was about finishing strong, and showing what women were capable of. 

Kathrine was so focused on what this race had come to mean, and still processing all that had happened, that they were up and over Heartbreak Hill without her even realizing it. She might have not only been the first woman to officially run Boston, but also the first person to be unaware of Heartbreak Hill!

Keep in mind that back then, there were no aid stations, and they did not drink or eat. Kathrine finished in 4 hours 20 minutes - quite a decent time. Her feet were so covered in blisters that she was treated by a doctor at the finish line. She, and the pictures of Semple attacking her, became national news. Check out this video of the story from Kathrine herself.

Following Boston, Kathrine became a lifelong advocate for women’s running. She also trained intensely, and would eventually run the 6th fastest time in the world (at the time) at Boston - a 2:51 in 1975, and she won the New York City Marathon - 3:07 in 1974. She remains the last resident of New York to win the New York City Marathon, and her margin of victory over the next woman finisher (27:14) remains the biggest margin of victory in that race. In 2017, at the age of 70, Kathrine Switzer ran Boston, 50 years after her first running of it. Her time was 4:45. 

Switzer went on to champion women’s running, traveling globally to promote races as the founder of Avon Running Global Women’s Circuit. Those races, over 400 in 27 countries, for over a million women, were a factor in her successful lobbying to finally have the women’s marathon event in the 1984 Olympics. Kathrine, fittingly, was commentator, as Joan Benoit Samuelson decisively won the day.

I think of Kathrine Switzer on cold snowy training mornings, knowing that my modern technical gear keeps me dry. On long runs, I have a vest I can stuff with hydration and food. I know I can enter any race I want to and the race director will not try to rip my number off. 

My weeks of early runs, long work days, and volunteer work on evenings and weekends for the things I’m passionate about also remind me of her. She put in more time than I, and sacrificed her health at one point. Her accomplishment of inspiring women all over the world to run, and bringing the women’s marathon to the Olympics, created opportunities for women, and allowed many to believe in themselves, some for the first time. 


Sources/Learn More
Kathrine Switzer website
Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer

This year, the Boston Marathon will be run on April 21st. 

​You might notice that going for a walk outdoors when you feel tired, stressed, irritated or sluggish helps you feel better. Time in nature is not only pleasant, it is a powerful component in our well-being. It supports our connection to one another and the larger world and allows us to have greater focus (focused attention is easier in nature than in a big city).

A study at the University of Exeter showed that people who spent at least two hours per week in nature were healthier compared with those who spent less than two hours. Research demonstrates that being in nature helps to reduce fear, anger, depression, anxiety, and even pain. In one study of patients recovering from gallbladder surgery, those who could view a tree from their hospital bed experienced less pain than those who viewed only a wall.

Peter H. Kahn, a professor of psychology at the University of Washington, says that it is important to experience nature not just visually, but to engage fully. The Japanese term for soaking in all of the amazingness of nature is called “forest bathing.” That doesn’t mean you roll around in the dirt, it simply means that you immerse yourself with active awareness in the time you spend outdoors. One of the theories related to forest bathing is that breathing in the scent of the forest aerosols helps increase tumor- and infection-fighting Natural Killer cells. 

Some suggestions for applying all five senses as a way to more completely immerse:

• Listen: birdsong (a soloist bird or an entire choir?), the wind in the trees (needles or leaves?), chattering (squirrels or little kids?!) 
• Feel: the sunshine on your skin, the coolness of the shade, the breeze in your hair
• Smell: sharpness of pine in cold snow, warm musty earth on a sunny trail
• Taste: dust in the heat, ache of frigid cold, tang of rain or humidity
• See: flowers bright and vibrant, grass spring-lime or summer-emerald, pollen-gathering bees, food-gathering chipmunks 

However you choose to engage with nature, know that you are doing your mind and body good.

Sources

• University of Minnesota Article: How Does Nature Impact Our Well-Being?
• Yale Environment 360 Article: Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health

Originally published April 2023

Have you ever been so stressed out that you can’t think straight? How helpful is the advice to “just breathe” from some well-meaning person? Or you do a quick Google search for taking that high anxiety down a notch, and your result is a picture of a perfect-appearing human in a perfect lotus pose, perfectly blissed out. Not real, not helpful, and, for my money, anxiety-promoting.

A useful strategy for pulling back from the stress-cliff is taking a peek around and becoming aware. If I’m outside, tuning in to the melodic birdsong from the branches overhead, breathing in the sharp evergreen scent, and gazing into the distance - at the Flat Tops or Emerald Mountain - is a sure way to pull me out of my head spin. Inside, I can feel the texture of the floor or the socks under my feet, and listen to the sounds around me - the blowing of the fireplace heat, the hum of the refrigerator.

This awareness, also called mindfulness, is one method of focusing the mind on something other than the stress/anxiety and instead bringing attention to what is actually happening around you in the moment. 

To deepen that, and apply not only to reducing anxiety and stress but reduce the monotony of the daily grind, you have something called “psychological richness.” Philosopher Lorraine Besser and psychologist Shigehiro Oishi have researched and defined the term to mean cognitive engagement. They found that for some, a psychologically rich life surpasses a meaningful or happy life.

The components of psychological richness:

1. Mindfulness 2.0. Paying attention with neutrality - noticing without judgment. That could mean taking in the details of a tree: the roughness and color of the bark, the length of the needles, any bird nests built in its branches. By focusing on the details, you stimulate the mind. 
2. Curiosity. Ask questions to take the mindful details a step further. How does the bark get its different shades of brown? How long did it take the birds to build that nest, and where did they gather those nest-construction materials? These simple questions help expand your perspective.
3. Creativity. Doing something new or differently generates novelty, another way to stimulate the mind. This could be something as simple as taking that walk with the trees and the birds at a different time of day than usual, or reversing the direction of your habitual route. It could mean stopping where you would not typically stop to take a look around and notice something in your surroundings you haven’t before. Breaking monotony, doing something a bit different, are ways to stimulate cognitive engagement.

Psychological richness is an individual concept in that each person will find engagement in their own way. The key is to start simple with using mindfulness 2.0, curiosity, and creativity. You can develop the capacity for psychological richness on a daily basis with small things like the examples above, and it can then be a tool at your fingertips for those stress-filled moments when you need an uncomplicated way to side-step the anxiety and focus on the here and now.

Source/Learn More

• Optimist Daily article: Transform your daily grind with 3 simple strategies for a more engaging life

My daughter and I are at the start of the Run Through Time trail half-marathon in Salida. It’s 30’, the sky is blue and we stand on a jeep road, reddish brown dirt peeking through a sprinkle of white snow. Someone yells “Start!” and we’re off, running along the road for a couple miles before heading uphill for the main course, 10-plus miles of single-track which includes 1800 feet of climbing. Charlotte runs with me at first, with the plan being for her to take off at her own pace when we hit the trail. We start up a small hill and I drop back so fast it’s like I’m suddenly towing a one-ton lead weight. Charlotte turns to look for me, wondering what happened to her mom. 

Is this a lack of fitness? A loss of power at my “advanced” age of 57? Though I hate to admit it, I am sucking wind. That one-ton weight seems to be my respiration - or lack thereof.

Breathing is not a thing most of us think about too much. It kind of happens in the background, only taking prime position if we’re dealing with a respiratory illness or a broken rib, when every breath brings pain. But on the day of this race, my breathing was a priority because it was such a struggle. Each inhale felt like I was trying to make it over the speed bump in my solar plexus/diaphragm area. So, in the weeks post-race, I decided to delve into this thing we call breathing.

What is so great about breathing (besides the obvious)? Some of the many benefits of breathing: lessens anxiety, increases immune system response, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, reduces cortisol, enhances calm, and increases energy. It also interplays with how well you move - your body mechanics, thus potentially leading to injury prevention. A focus on breath with something like a headache or back pain can also shift your brain’s perception of that pain, thereby reducing the pain you feel or experience.

The breath itself is much more than the in and the out: oxygen in, carbon dioxide out is not the whole story. 

Let’s start with carbon dioxide. It is not simply a waste product. It is actually the existence of carbon dioxide in our systems (causing decreased blood pH, higher acidity) that causes the hemoglobin (protein in red blood cells that carry the oxygen molecules) to release the oxygen to the cells. This is known as the Bohr effect. So we could inhale more than adequate O2, but if there isn’t enough CO2 in our system we don’t reap all that O2 we breathe in. Our CO2 tolerance is key to maximizing oxygen delivery to the cells - and it is something we can increase.

Here are some suggestions to improve breathing:

• Nasal breathe. The gold standard of breathing - our nose acts as a filter, and warms and moisturizes the air before it enters the lungs. When breathing through the nose, nitric oxide, a vasodilator, is released in the nasal cavity - this widens the blood vessels, allowing more oxygen to reach the cells. 
• Lighten up. Allowing the breath to flow easily and lightly to fill the torso (belly, ribs and chest expanding from the inside out). You can do this sitting, standing, even while walking.
• Slow it down. Longer exhales help with that CO2 tolerance, and thus greater oxygen delivery to the cells.
• Breath holds. Inhale lightly, exhale lightly, hold the nose and count to 5. Release, take in a normal breath or two, and then repeat. Eventually increasing the count as you get more comfortable.
• Walking breath holds. Same as above but while walking.
• Take a test. Try measuring your BOLT (Body Oxygen Level Test) score here. This will give you an idea of where you are. You can retest after using the breathing exercises to see your improvement. My current BOLT is a 15, and normal is 30-40! The great thing is that this is something I can improve by using these methods and more.

While training for the Run Through Time, nasal breathing was a staple in many of my runs. I combined longer miles with plenty of hills and nasal breathing and what did I get? A very slow time. I’m grateful for the anonymity the darkness of my early morning starts provides me.  Clearly, the nasal breathing alone wasn’t enough to help with my breathing during the race itself. 

Charlotte finished a full hour ahead of me. Most of this is due to the fact that she is a very strong and capable runner. But I hold the hope that bettering my breathing means I could shave a few minutes off that hour next year.

My next step is to build my CO2 tolerance. When I even think about having to hold a bit longer before inhaling my panic button is pushed. So I am taking baby steps. Hold that exhale just a bit longer. Take an extra count or two before inhaling. The key is daily consistency and awareness. Breathing is a workable skill - at any age. Perhaps you, too, will be motivated to get better at breathing while getting older.


Sources/Learn More

• Built to Move by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett. Vital Sign 2, pages 52-75.
• The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown.

Ice or Heat?
You hurt your shoulder playing tennis or pickleball, your lower back aches from a long season of snow-shoveling, you twisted your ankle running after your grandkid. Should you hit the jacuzzi or grab your ice pack?

Generally, acute injuries (those that occur suddenly and often cause severe pain) should be treated with ice in the first 72 hours in order to reduce pain and inflammation. Chronic pain is often relieved by the use of heat - ideally moist heat - to reduce the stiffness. When recovering from acute injury, once the inflammation is significantly reduced, contrast therapy (ice:heat:ice) can be helpful to encourage healing.

How does ice work?
Ice constricts blood vessels and numbs nerves. In the initial stage of an injury, the body’s inflammatory response sends chemicals to the site. By reducing blood flow we slow that response and reduce the swelling. The numbing of the nerves reduces pain. 
Methods of icing include: cold packs, frozen bags of veggies, ice massage (using an ice cube directly on the injury), and frozen dixie cup (same as ice massage but you peel down the dixie cup from the frozen water inside). For lower limb or hand/wrist injuries, my favorite method is to submerge the injured part in a bucket or pot of ice water, completely immersing the tissues. 
With icing there are four stages of sensation, known as CBAN: Cold, Burning, Aching, Numbing. As soon as you feel the numbing, remove the ice to prevent damaging the tissues. Length of time varies - it is individual to the person and the method. 
Keep in mind that icing for acute injuries works well with consistency over time. For example, aim for 20 minutes (this may involve off and on again with the ice), 2 - 3 x per day for 5 days.

How does heat work?
Heat encourages circulation, blood flow that brings fresh oxygen and nutrients, and carries away waste products. Heat eases stiffness and allows for more fluid movement. 
Moist heat is best for the tissues as it penetrates more deeply than dry heat. 
Methods include hot showers, baths, jacuzzis, and heat packs that are warmed in the microwave. You can even wet a towel, wring it out, and microwave the towel. 
Time again will vary according to the person and the method, and consistency over time is a factor in success.

What is contrast therapy?
Once an injury has moved beyond the acute inflammation stage, contrast therapy can bump up the healing process. 
You always start and finish with ice, and use a time ratio of 1:2:1. For example, ice for 5 minutes, heat for 10 minutes, ice for 5 minutes. 
You can repeat several cycles, the main thing is to always start and finish with ice.

How does contrast therapy work?
When you apply the ice you are constricting the blood vessels. When you then apply the heat, the blood vessels dilate so there is increased blood flow to the area, and when you follow with the ice you are constricting once again, to continue to reduce inflammation and pain. It is like turning a hose on and off, creating a pump to get things moving in and out; that blood flow is bringing fresh nutrients and taking away waste products from the tissues. 
You can read more in this article: Cleveland Clinic How to Choose Between Ice and Heat.

The study linked below compared three different treatment groups for relief from low back pain. One group applied heat with naproxen, another ice with naproxen, and the third group used just naproxen alone. The researchers checked in with subjects four times over two weeks. The pain was most reduced with the heat and naproxen group, closely followed by those applying ice with naproxen. The conclusion was that hydrotherapy played a significant role in pain reduction. All groups had a decrease in pain over the two weeks. The study noted that a key factor was the consistency of the application of the thermotherapy or cryotherapy over time. 
Study: The Efficacy of Thermotherapy and Cryotherapy on Pain Relief in Patients with Acute Low Back Pain

Originally published Feb 2023

​Music speaks to us through the entirety of our lives. It brings us back to a time and place, it lulls us to sleep. It can make our workouts more fun, and it can provide the perfect ambiance to an evening of conversation.

Music plays a large part in the work I do. A variety of instrumental folk music supports the relaxation of clients on my massage table. In Essentrics, the music helps us move more fluidly as when increasing movement through the torso, with more purpose as we do plies and leg toning, and with ease during our final stretch. Throughout the workout, our brains are working to match pacing and movements to the music - great for both body and brain health.

Music can also help with specific conditions. In this National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Article: Music and Health, the many benefits of music-based intervention are documented in scientific reviews. Here are a few:

• Improves depression
• Decreases pain
• Decreases anxiety
• Decreases stress
• Supports gait and walking for those with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease
• Supports emotional well-being, mood, and quality of life in those with dementia and Alzheimer’s

Our brains benefit from music whether we listen to it, play an instrument, or sing. In this Johns Hopkins Medicine Article: Keep Your Brain Young With Music, one suggestion is listening to your children’s or grandchildren’s music in order to benefit your brain. We can become stuck in a groove (pardon the pun) if we continue to listen to the same music we are comfortable with. Listening to, or learning, new genres helps us stay young. My daughter and I listen to her playlists on all of our road trips, so I feel confident that my brain is learning new music and words every time we travel together.

Music helps us remember things - and not just time and place memories. Think of all the jingles from old television commercials - you probably still know every word. Or songs we learned as children that we can instantly recall even if we haven’t heard them in years. One of my favorite silly songs starts out: “I went to the animal fair…” Do you remember the rest of the words? Here’s a video to help you out: The Animal Fair.

Whether you play, sing, listen, hum or whistle a tune, or tap on the steering wheel while waiting for the light to turn green, music enhances our lives.

Originally published March, 2023