Sister to Sister

From our Daily Tips: "Turn Up the Tunes!"

I've been into music all my life. Growing up in North Carolina, I loved country music, but the truth is that I didn't know about any other genres until I was almost twelve! When I discovered how many types of music really existed, a whole new world opened up for me. Now my playlist is crammed with everything from jazz to rock to folk — and even one interesting style called "folktronica."

I listen to music all the time — when I'm walking, when I'm at the gym, and even at work. So this study was great news for me: researchers have found that music that makes you feel good can help your health, providing what the authors call "cardioprotection" or preventive measures to strengthen your heart. The researchers behind the study found that participants' artery flow improved by 26% when they listened to music they liked. What a difference — especially since it's free!

Even if you don't listen to music often, there are other ways to get similar results: this study also took a look at the effects of funny video clips and relaxation. They found that both of these activities improved artery flow by 19% and 11%!

This isn't the first time we've heard that positive thoughts can have a good impact on your body — most of us probably grew up hearing the old axiom that laughter is the best medicine. Studies like this underscore how easy it can be to make choices that are good for your health — especially your heart health, which should rank high on everyone's list since it's the leading killer of men and women in the U.S.

Are you an avid music listener? If so, what music do you reach for when you need a mood boost?