Three Ways Music Can Improve Your Quality of Life

The influence of music extends to various aspects of our lives—from physical health to emotional well-being and social relationships. It can have a positive impact on our overall quality of life by providing a sense of normality and a feeling of connectedness. While there’s no optimal intervention, no magic song, and no ideal genre that can ease all of life's challenges, music has the potential to positively impact quality of life. Let’s take a closer look:

1. Music Lifts Your Mood

When you’re feeling sad or tired, you can use music to elevate your mood. Certain types of music can lead to feelings of happiness and even make people feel more energized. By reducing negative feelings like loneliness, isolation, and depression, music can reduce psychological stress and anxiety. The type of music that makes people feel this way is very individual, but it has benefits for normal hearing individuals as well as cochlear implant recipients.

Check out the MED-EL Monday Morning Motivation playlist on Spotify for uplifting music ideal for cochlear implant users.

2. Music Helps You Bond

Of course, you can listen to music alone at home or in the car, but there are also many opportunities to enjoy music with other people. From concerts to karaoke nights, enjoying music can be a shared experience that brings us closer together and provides us with an opportunity to socialize and form meaningful . If you’re new to listening to music with your cochlear implant, try easing yourself in with music featuring just one instrument, like a solo piano concert.

3. Music Helps Your Memory (and Speech Understanding)

In addition to passive music enjoyment, there are also ways to actively participate in music that can be beneficial during rehabilitation for cochlear implant recipients. By following along with the words of a song and trying to learn the lyrics, you can improve your memory. This can also help your overall understanding of speech and listening attention.

Music Training With a Cochlear Implant

If you have a cochlear implant, you’ll most likely need to do training to appreciate music again. If not, difficulties perceiving music might even have a negative effect on your quality of life. So make musical experiences a part of your rehabilitation journey with your cochlear implant.

One way to do this is by using Meludia, an online music training tool that allows you to practice music perception and train your ears so that you can appreciate music more.

By using Meludia, I’ve found even more willingness to improve my music listening skills and return to enjoying one of my passions: music.

Alberto

Cochlear implant user

You can also take a look at our Rehab at Home blog for enhancing music enjoyment, which offers different activities based on your level of musical ability.

Or take a look at our free guide on music tips for adults, which is designed specifically for cochlear implant recipients.