Sheepdog1969 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 (edited) Apparently, performing music is a brain altering experience which results in a "high". When people say, "Playing music is my drug of choice.", or "Playing get's me high.", they're not exaggerating. To be clear, playing/performing music is NOT a drug/narcotic, but the chemicals released by your body when playing/performing result in varying degrees of euphoria, pain reduction, and other physical and neurologic effects similar to pharmaceuticals, (illicit or otherwise), according to a study in published in Evolutionary Psychology . The neuropsychology of this "musical high" also gives us better understanding of the substance abuse "Rock Stars" are prone to off stage, especially after the "spotlight" fades on their careers. Your body's reaction to playing/performing music is similar to "runner's high" and/or "Rocky mountain high" , which many active outdoors enthusiasts are quite familiar with. Playing music releases endorphins, chemicals that induce feelings of joy and pleasure and block the nerve cells that cause us to feel pain and stress. Playing music releases Dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter in your brain which elicits emotional feelings of happiness, excitement, and joy. Playing music, even listening to music, has a calming effect on your brain, which reduces Cortisol. Cortisol is a stress related hormone that impacts autonomic responses in your body, like inflammation, blood sugar levels, and stress responses, to name but a few. Reductions in Cortisol levels lowers stress, reduces blood pressure and allows for proper sleep regulation. Playing/performing music also increases your body's output of of antibodies like immunoglobulin, which are part of your body's immune system, defending you against infection. These are just the beneficial chemical reactions your body has from playing/performing music. The human body's nervous system's neural pathways are essentially the wiring harness that transmits signals from one part of it to another. These "wires" transmit the signals that allow you to move, breath, circulate blood, to feel pain, and (quite frankly) allow everything in your body to function. Just like copper wires, or fiber optic strands, your nerves have limited "bandwidth", (they can only transmit certain amounts of data at once.). Playing/performing music requires "bandwidth", be it signals to the muscles you use to play your instrument, (including the muscles used to sing), the complex mental operations/processes making music requires, the sensory input required, (touch/tactile, hearing, sight), etc.. Since your body's autonomic, (life support) systems have priority bandwidth requirements, when playing/performing music, bandwidth used for processing mental and physical pain is reduced, and this type pain reduction is drug/chemical free. Combined with the endorphins released when playing/performing music, this method of pain relief is significant if not extraordinary. There are also a myriad of other effects that playing/performing music has on the human brain, such as brain development, anxiety management, emotional control, and the ability to understand emotional messaging, (the creative expression connection with your emotions). Playing/performing music in a group, which requires a unique and almost spiritual connection with your bandmates, creates social and emotional connections with others, which reduces social anxiety and it's stress related complications. Social connections have also been associated with longer life spans. Performing music in front of an audience, as a group or solo, further reduces social anxiety. The physicality of playing/making music, just like exercise, has both physical and mental benefits as well. If you ask drug users why they take drugs to get "high", (narcotics or otherwise), they typically respond with one, or more, of the following three reasons. 1. Because of the euphoria (feel good) sensation they produce. 2. Because they take away my pain, (emotional and/or physical). 3. Because they allow me to forget about life's stresses for awhile. Amazingly, playing/performing music does all of these 3 things, and more, without the side effects of drug abuse, (save for addiction). Yes, playing/performing music can be addictive. Just like "high" inducing drugs, the amazing feeling that playing/performing music produces makes you want to play more and more often, (if only to get that feeling again for some). This is one of the reasons so many musicians turn to "high" inducing drugs. They become so addicted to the "musical high", that they try to replicate that feeling when off stage, or when they aren't playing, with drugs and/or alcohol. Sadly, their drug/alcohol abuse ends up overlapping their music production, eventually diminishing/ending their music careers. For those with addictive personalities, playing music may be their "gateway drug". Thankfully, the vast majority of musicians are not, nor do they become, drug abusers. There is no doubt that playing/performing music results in incredible benefits beyond the sheer beauty of the soundscape produced. Yet, the long term mental and physical health benefits that result from playing/performing music are NOT why we do it, (but we have that going for us, which is nice.) Playing/performing music is something else entirely. From the simple joy experienced by making rhythmic/melodic sounds with inanimate objects (and/or your voice), to the indescribable feeling elicited from a "standing ovation" after an exceptional performance, nothing compares to the "high" playing music provides. (After all this stupid typing, I need to get myself a little "high" right now, and get healthy!) Edited February 24 by Sheepdog1969 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 I just usually do bong rips. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 I could also argue that's why musicians don't get hooked on video games or social media. They're a poor substitute. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieDog Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 (edited) Good post and I agree. Even though I used to run with a pretty “enhanced” crowd in my youth, I’m a near teetotaler now, just a drink on the porch while I’m bbq-ing sorta thing. And our close friends are of the same mind. Glass of wine with dinner, etc. Can’t stand feeling loopy anymore and takes too long to recover. Mostly just too involved in other stuff to be messed up and not sharp as possible. So even though Minnesota finally legalized recreational pot a few months back it didn’t really hit our circle’s radar, maybe a little curious what it would be like now, mostly out of nostalgia but not overly motivated to make an effort to drive to one of the few dispensaries that are open, or grow our own. We were at a local old-time jam last Sunday afternoon and ran into some folks we knew. We got to chatting afterwards but the convo was having a hard time staying on track. It had a vague feeling of familiarity and I admit to a bit of frustration at their inability to track what I was trying to pick their brains about since they would be a good source for the answers. Feeling put off, I left wondering if I wasn’t asking the right questions… Ruminating the next day, trying to figure out where the convo went south, it hit me: duh, they were both high as kites. So social hour readjustment time and I realize now we gotta account for bumping into random stoners in the middle of the day. Edited February 24 by PrairieDog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Sheepdog1969, I didn't read the article you cited, but I assume that the experience you describe would result from many other group activities such as playing team sports. I'm 75, and play competitive hockey (I'm a goalie), with players, nearly all much younger than I am. And the satisfaction ( high) I get from playing well (winning or losing being irrelevant) is indescribable. RBSinTo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepdog1969 Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 (edited) 2 hours ago, RBSinTo said: I didn't read the article you cited, but I assume that the experience you describe would result from many other group activities such as playing team sports. First of all WOW!! You are a bad a$$ sir. I tip my hat to you and your athleticism. The combination of rigorous physical activity, like competitive hockey, AND playing music, provides you the preverbal "fountain of youth". I'm nearly 20 years your junior, and I bet my health stats make me appear 20 years your senior. After my last physical, my Doc told me that I have a some blood in my cholesterol. (He had to tap me like a Maple tree, just to get a blood draw.) Literally, no amount of playing/performing music can compare to a single season on the ice. I'd have to ask someone to dial 9 1 and wait, if I were ever to attempt to simply skate from the bench to the net and back, in the gear you wear. But, I digest. One of the major differences between competitive sports and playing music is their effect on Cortisol levels. Playing music significantly reduces Cortisol, and competitive sports increases Cortisol levels. Unfortunately, it would take a few pages of text to provide a comprehensive differential analysis comparing physical activity and playing music, which would bore you to sleep. Undoubtedly, the analysis would prove physical activity, especially via competitive sports, is exponentially better for you. God Bless you and stay safe! Edited February 24 by Sheepdog1969 typo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieDog Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 27 minutes ago, Sheepdog1969 said: First of all WOW!! You are a bad a$$ sir. I tip my hat to you and your athleticism. The combination of rigorous physical activity, like competitive hockey, AND playing music, provides you the preverbal "fountain of youth". I'm nearly 20 years your junior, and I bet my health stats make me appear 20 years your senior. After my last physical, my Doc told me that I have a some blood in my cholesterol. (He had to tap me like a Maple tree, just to get a blood draw.) Literally, no amount of playing/performing music can compare to a single season on the ice. I'd have to ask someone to dial 9 1 and wait, if I were ever to attempt to simply skate from the bench to the net and back, in the gear you wear. But, I digest. One of the major differences between competitive sports and playing music is their effect on Cortisol levels. Playing music significantly reduces Cortisol, and competitive sports increases Cortisol levels. Unfortunately, it would take a few pages of text to provide a comprehensive differential analysis comparing physical activity and playing music, which would bore you to sleep. Undoubtedly, the analysis would prove physical activity, especially via competitive sports, is exponentially better for you. God Bless you and stay safe! Nod, slightly different effects. the cartoon that Rabs posted explained it fairly well, re the brain on music. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepdog1969 Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 6 minutes ago, PrairieDog said: Nod, slightly different effects. the cartoon that Rabs posted explained it fairly well, re the brain on music. Although playing music does have a significantly better effect on brain health, physical activity, (like playing hockey), provides far more beneficial "whole body health". Cardiovascular, respiratory, musculature, skeletal, and immune system health, are just a few of crucial life sustaining systems that require regular physical activity in order to function effectively. RBSinTo is a great example of someone who is benefitting from both of these activities, (playing music and maintaining a physically active lifestyle). We all should follow his example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risco Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 12 hours ago, Murph said: I could also argue that's why musicians don't get hooked on video games or social media. They're a poor substitute. I agree with that statement! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 On 2/24/2024 at 2:12 PM, Murph said: I could also argue that's why musicians don't get hooked on video games or social media. They're a poor substitute. That's a damn good point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 (edited) 1 hour ago, Pinch said: That's a damn good point! Can you spare some change, I’m real strung out on Facebook and need to score some. Edited February 25 by Sgt. Pepper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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