160. Music benefits mental health almost as much as exercise
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
If you want to improve your mental health, but you can’t get to the gym or go for a run, try playing music. In a new study published in JAMA Network Open, Australian and German researchers analyzed the data from 26 previous studies involving almost 800 participants looking at the impact of singing, playing, or listening to music on mental health. They found that music is associated with clinically significant changes in mental health-related quality of life, almost equal to that provided by exercise. While physical activity is still critically important to our mental and physical health, for many people, music and singing are fun and easy ways to boost well-being.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
