Do you feel noticeably better after listening to an acoustic concert in a cafe during lunch? Do you feel the taste of life, returning home late at night after a hip-hop show? Or maybe a slam in front of the stage at a metal concert is just what the doctor ordered for you?
Music has always helped people manage their mental and emotional health. And a recent study just confirmed it! It was hosted by Behavioral Science Professor Patrick Fagan and O2, which coordinates concerts around the world. They found out that attending a live music show every two weeks can improve life expectancy!
Fagan said the study revealed the profound impact of live music on human health, happiness and well-being, with weekly or at least regular attendance at live concerts being the key to positive results. Combining all the results of the research, we can conclude that attending concerts with a frequency of two weeks is the right way to longevity.
To conduct the study, Fagan attached heart rate monitors to the subjects’ hearts and examined them after they completed their leisure activities, including concert nights, dog walks and yoga.
More than half of respondents said that the experience of listening to live music and attending concerts in real time makes them feel happier and healthier than when they just listen to music at home or with headphones. According to the report, participants in the study experienced a 25% increase in self-esteem, a 25% increase in intimacy with others, and a 75% increase in intelligence after concerts, according to the report.
Although the results of the studies are already encouraging, experts say that more research is needed, which will not be funded by the concert company. It is expected that in this way it will be possible to obtain more convincing results about the potential health benefits of live music.
However, the report linking live music to improved mental health scores echoes recent research that links people’s emotional health to longer lifespans.
For example, in Finland, researchers found that children who took part in singing lessons had higher levels of satisfaction with school life. Music therapy has also been associated with improved sleep outcomes and mental health among people with schizophrenia.
In addition, according to a five-year study conducted by scientists at University College London, older people who reported feeling happy lived longer than their peers 35% of the time. Andrew Steptoe, lead author of the study, said: “Of course, we expected to see a link between how happy people are in their daily lives and their life expectancy, but we were amazed at how strongly these indicators turned out to be.”
If you like to spend time at crowded events, don’t miss your chance to go to a live concert this weekend and be healthy!