WEBVTT 00:00:00.330 --> 00:00:04.290 Hey there, welcome back to the daily Senior Safety 00:00:04.290 --> 00:00:07.589 Advice podcast. I'm so glad you're here with 00:00:07.589 --> 00:00:10.609 me today because February, that's when this is 00:00:10.609 --> 00:00:15.470 being published, is Heart Health and Emotional 00:00:15.470 --> 00:00:19.050 Resilience Month. So on that topic, what I want 00:00:19.050 --> 00:00:23.949 to talk about today is music therapy for relaxation 00:00:23.949 --> 00:00:29.050 and heart health. My mom -in -law lived to 102. 00:00:29.449 --> 00:00:32.909 And there wasn't a day that went by, I don't 00:00:32.909 --> 00:00:36.950 believe, that she didn't listen to and dance 00:00:36.950 --> 00:00:41.530 to some kind of music. She loved having music 00:00:41.530 --> 00:00:45.229 playing. And I think that that really was one 00:00:45.229 --> 00:00:49.149 of the reasons why she was able to live so long 00:00:49.149 --> 00:00:53.710 and so well. I don't have any studies on that, 00:00:53.710 --> 00:00:57.700 but it just seems to make sense to me. Music 00:00:57.700 --> 00:01:01.600 tends to reach places where words simply cannot. 00:01:02.939 --> 00:01:06.620 I've seen it happen in her and I've seen it happen 00:01:06.620 --> 00:01:10.260 in many of my patients as I treated them for 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:14.379 occupational therapy. I've seen tense faces soften, 00:01:15.159 --> 00:01:18.900 breathing will slow down, shoulders drop, all 00:01:18.900 --> 00:01:23.239 because a familiar song starts playing. Music 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:26.819 doesn't argue with the body, you know, it doesn't 00:01:26.819 --> 00:01:30.640 demand anything. It just arrives and the body 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:34.420 responds, usually beautifully. That response 00:01:34.420 --> 00:01:37.920 can really be powerful to your mental health 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:41.480 and your physical health. And when we talk about 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:45.239 heart health, we often focus on numbers, right? 00:01:45.420 --> 00:01:48.400 We talk about blood pressure, we talk about heart 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:52.239 rate. But the truth is the heart is emotional 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:56.939 too. It reacts to stress, to fear, to loneliness, 00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:02.180 and music can help to soothe all of that. I've 00:02:02.180 --> 00:02:05.340 watched older adults who felt restless suddenly 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:09.419 sit back and relax. I've watched caregivers who 00:02:09.419 --> 00:02:14.120 were on edge start to breathe easier. I've watched 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:18.620 seniors with dementia who were agitated calm 00:02:18.620 --> 00:02:23.099 down when a familiar song was played. So here's 00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:28.060 why all of this matters. Relaxation protects 00:02:28.060 --> 00:02:32.000 the heart. So when music calms the nervous system, 00:02:32.500 --> 00:02:35.139 the heart doesn't have to work as hard. Your 00:02:35.139 --> 00:02:38.219 blood pressure can lower, heart rate can steady, 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:42.819 and stress hormones can decrease. And this doesn't 00:02:42.819 --> 00:02:47.139 require any fancy equipment, just music that 00:02:47.139 --> 00:02:51.680 feels right to you. Now that's the key. Music 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:54.860 therapy isn't about what's popular, it's about 00:02:54.860 --> 00:02:57.699 what feels comforting to the person who's listening 00:02:57.699 --> 00:03:01.680 to it or persons. A song from younger years, 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:06.120 a favorite hymn, soft instrumental music. I've 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:08.580 seen people light up when they hear a song tied 00:03:08.580 --> 00:03:12.680 to a good memory. Their body remembers safety, 00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:16.879 and safety is deeply connected to heart health. 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:21.300 Another thing that I've noticed is that music 00:03:21.300 --> 00:03:26.180 can help to regulate breathing. Slow music encourages 00:03:26.180 --> 00:03:31.439 slow breaths, and slow breathing tells the heart 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:36.770 to relax. That rhythm matters. The heart loves 00:03:36.770 --> 00:03:40.370 rhythm. It responds to steady, predictable patterns. 00:03:41.050 --> 00:03:44.969 That's why gentle music works so well. Not loud, 00:03:45.250 --> 00:03:49.689 not jarring, just steady and flowing. I have 00:03:49.689 --> 00:03:53.069 a funny story. My sister was staying here with 00:03:53.069 --> 00:03:56.610 me, and she likes to listen to rock and roll 00:03:56.610 --> 00:04:00.629 type of music from the 50s and 60s. And I like 00:04:00.629 --> 00:04:05.949 to listen to classical, quiet, you know, just 00:04:05.949 --> 00:04:11.469 music, no words, no drums, no guitars, just quiet, 00:04:11.990 --> 00:04:15.349 peaceful, new age kind of music, I guess you 00:04:15.349 --> 00:04:18.629 can call it. So I was playing that one day while 00:04:18.629 --> 00:04:21.910 she was staying and I was in the office working 00:04:21.910 --> 00:04:25.709 and she was in the living room and I heard her 00:04:25.709 --> 00:04:32.439 yell. This thing is making me sleepy. So for 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:36.660 her, it made her sleepy. But for me, it relaxes 00:04:36.660 --> 00:04:40.220 me and calms me so that I can concentrate when 00:04:40.220 --> 00:04:43.300 I'm working. So yeah, we did change it to her 00:04:43.300 --> 00:04:45.600 rock and roll kind of music and she was happy 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:47.779 about that. You got to do what your guests like, 00:04:47.819 --> 00:04:52.079 right? So here's something that families don't 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:56.259 always realize. Music can reduce anxiety without 00:04:56.259 --> 00:04:59.879 medication. Believe that? I've seen people who 00:04:59.879 --> 00:05:02.399 are anxious settle down with music playing softly 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:05.240 in the background. Not because their problems 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:09.079 disappeared, not because the situation changed, 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:13.160 but because their body felt supported. And when 00:05:13.160 --> 00:05:16.480 the body calms down, the heart tends to follow. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:21.449 Music therapy also helps with sleep. And we all 00:05:21.449 --> 00:05:26.189 know that sleep is huge for heart health. Soft 00:05:26.189 --> 00:05:29.129 music before bed can signal the body that it's 00:05:29.129 --> 00:05:32.230 time to rest. It slows your thoughts. It can 00:05:32.230 --> 00:05:35.949 reduce racing worries. I've seen people who struggled 00:05:35.949 --> 00:05:38.750 with falling asleep drift off more easily with 00:05:38.750 --> 00:05:43.269 familiar music playing quietly. I tend to... 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.779 Music doesn't help me to get to sleep, but white 00:05:46.779 --> 00:05:50.620 noise does. So whatever sound it is that can 00:05:50.620 --> 00:05:53.480 help you get to sleep, then use it. Discover 00:05:53.480 --> 00:05:58.639 it and use it. That rest, that sleep rest, definitely 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.879 helps a heart to recover. Another thing that 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:04.600 music does beautifully is it reduces the feelings 00:06:04.600 --> 00:06:07.300 of loneliness. And I personally think that's 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:09.980 one of the reasons that my mom -in -law enjoyed 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:13.089 having music, because for... The last, I don't 00:06:13.089 --> 00:06:16.889 know, 15 plus years of her life, she lived alone. 00:06:16.930 --> 00:06:20.730 She was a widow. So even when someone is alone, 00:06:21.389 --> 00:06:25.250 music tends to create companionship. It fills 00:06:25.250 --> 00:06:28.889 the space. And that emotional connection lowers 00:06:28.889 --> 00:06:32.730 stress hormones. And lower stress hormones mean 00:06:32.730 --> 00:06:36.699 less strain on the heart. And my mom -in -law 00:06:36.699 --> 00:06:39.220 used to say, you know, I just love the sound 00:06:39.220 --> 00:06:43.139 of music. It energizes me and it feels like someone 00:06:43.139 --> 00:06:46.899 is here with me when the music is on. So that 00:06:46.899 --> 00:06:51.379 feeling really matters. Music also, like for 00:06:51.379 --> 00:06:54.600 my mom -in -law, encourages movement. A little 00:06:54.600 --> 00:06:58.660 foot tapping, a sway in the chair, a soft stretch. 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:02.379 That kind of movement improves circulation, and 00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:06.399 circulation helps to support heart health. I'm 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:09.220 not talking about exercise, doing aerobics to 00:07:09.220 --> 00:07:13.079 music. I'm talking about just movement. And movement 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:16.939 paired with joy is especially powerful. It was 00:07:16.939 --> 00:07:19.600 beautiful to see my mom -in -law dance around 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.379 the living room or the kitchen to her music. 00:07:23.540 --> 00:07:26.620 Another thing I love about music therapy is how 00:07:26.620 --> 00:07:30.500 personal it is. There's no right playlist. There's 00:07:30.500 --> 00:07:35.500 no wrong genre. If it makes you feel calm, if 00:07:35.500 --> 00:07:38.259 it makes you smile, if it brings you a sense 00:07:38.259 --> 00:07:41.819 of peace, then it's doing its job. You can relax 00:07:41.819 --> 00:07:45.540 to classical music, to country music, to love 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:50.240 songs, to rock and roll from the 50s, whatever. 00:07:51.259 --> 00:07:55.600 I've seen it all. The heart doesn't judge taste. 00:07:56.259 --> 00:07:59.660 It responds to comfort. Now here's something 00:07:59.660 --> 00:08:03.439 important. Music therapy works best when it's 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:06.720 intentional. Not blasting the TV in the background, 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:10.899 but choosing music on purpose. Sitting with it. 00:08:11.060 --> 00:08:14.899 Letting it wash over you. Even 10 minutes of 00:08:14.899 --> 00:08:17.459 sitting down listening to music can make a difference. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:21.759 And those small moments really add up. Caregivers 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:25.370 can use this too. Music can create calmer caregiving 00:08:25.370 --> 00:08:29.069 routines, easier mornings, more peaceful evenings. 00:08:29.769 --> 00:08:33.429 I've seen caregiving moments feel less tense 00:08:33.429 --> 00:08:35.850 when music is playing softly in the background. 00:08:36.870 --> 00:08:41.509 That calm can protect everyone's heart. And another 00:08:41.509 --> 00:08:44.649 benefit that you may not know about music therapy 00:08:44.649 --> 00:08:49.320 is memory support. Music can unlock memories 00:08:49.320 --> 00:08:52.600 even when other things fade. And those moments 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:56.559 of recognition bring joy. Joy releases calming 00:08:56.559 --> 00:09:00.419 chemicals in the body. And again, that supports 00:09:00.419 --> 00:09:04.139 heart health. Music therapy isn't about fixing 00:09:04.139 --> 00:09:07.440 anything. It's about supporting the body, giving 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:11.759 the heart a break. And that break matters. So 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:14.840 if your stress has been high, if your heart is 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:20.000 feeling tired, if life just feels loud, try music 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.559 therapy. One song, one quiet moment. Let it slow 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:27.139 you down. You don't need to do anything else. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:31.899 Just listen. Your heart will do the rest. You 00:09:31.899 --> 00:09:35.860 can use Amazon's Alexa to play music. You can 00:09:35.860 --> 00:09:40.820 use your smartphone and have podcasts play music 00:09:40.820 --> 00:09:45.100 or listen to the radio. Whatever it is, find 00:09:45.100 --> 00:09:48.419 some source of music for yourself so that you 00:09:48.419 --> 00:09:52.259 can incorporate it as a daily routine. Well, 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.840 that's all I have for you today. Thanks again 00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:58.460 for listening, for being here with me. If today's 00:09:58.460 --> 00:10:01.740 episode gave you some useful insights or maybe 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:03.940 a new idea or two, then share it with someone 00:10:03.940 --> 00:10:06.080 who you think might find it helpful as well. 00:10:06.779 --> 00:10:09.440 You can discover even more expert tips and helpful 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:12.799 guides for seniors and caregivers at seniorsafetyadvice 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:15.879 .com. And if you're searching for an aging in 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:18.200 place specialist or senior services, then visit 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:22.289 our website at aginginplacedirectory .com. And 00:10:22.289 --> 00:10:24.789 don't forget, come back tomorrow for even more 00:10:24.789 --> 00:10:28.450 useful tips, insights, and ideas right here on 00:10:28.450 --> 00:10:31.470 the Senior Safety Advice Podcast. 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