How Music Benefits The Brain
Music often accompanies life’s most meaningful moments. A song can bring back a vivid memory, stir deep emotions or simply provide a sense of calm. As we grow older, this connection becomes even more meaningful, acting as an invisible thread between the past and the present. But music offers far more than simple enjoyment. It can stimulate brain activity, support memory and promote emotional well-being. A growing body of research highlights how music benefits the brain, especially in older adults, where it serves as a powerful tool for maintaining cognitive health.
Music. A powerful brain booster.
A familiar melody, a recognizable rhythm… just a few notes are enough to awaken the brain almost instantly. Whether listening to a song, humming along, or tapping your foot, music engages hearing, memory, emotions, language and even movement all at once. Few activities activate so many areas of the brain simultaneously.
While other cognitive abilities may decline with age, musical memory remains remarkably resilient. A 2024 Canadian study by researchers at Simon Fraser University found that listening to music activates the brain’s reward circuits – even when the music is unfamiliar or not especially enjoyable. It also appears to support emotional regulation while providing consistent cognitive stimulation.
Why does music’s impact on the brain endure?
The answer lies in neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to form and strengthen neural connections throughout life.
Contrary to long-held beliefs, the brain remains adaptable well into old age, especially when challenged in meaningful ways. Because music engages both the mind and the emotions, it serves as a uniquely powerful catalyst for keeping the brain active and resilient.
According to neuroscientists at McGill University, musical rhythm can synchronize neural oscillations – particularly alpha and delta waves – and help different areas of the brain communicate more efficiently. This coordination may explain why music can support concentration, movement and even speech in some people living with neurocognitive disorders.
Soft, relaxing music has also been shown to lower heart rate and reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone). By influencing the brain, it can promote the release of dopamine, helping people fall asleep faster, experience fewer nighttime awakenings, and achieve deeper, more restorative sleep.
In the context of aging, music is increasingly being incorporated into certain non-pharmacological approaches. Music therapy, for example, has shown promising results for individuals experiencing cognitive decline, as demonstrated by research conducted in Canada.
A project supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada and led by the University of Ottawa uses music and movement to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia. Researchers have observed reductions in anxiety, improved communication and greater social engagement – even among individuals in the more advanced stages of the disease.
Music and memory: timeless connections
Music often acts as a key that unlocks the doors to the past: a simple melody can bring back long-forgotten memories, a beloved face, a meaningful time in life or a deeply rooted emotion.
Australian researchers, whose work has been widely reported in Canada, found that adults aged 70 and older who listen to music regularly may have a 39% lower risk of dementia compared with those who have limited exposure to music. Participants also demonstrated stronger episodic memory and overall cognitive performance.
This remarkable ability is at the heart of the 2014 documentary Alive Inside, directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett. The film follows the work of Dan Cohen, founder of the organization Music & Memory, who uses music to help reconnect people living with cognitive impairments with their memories and sense of identity. The documentary shows older adults, sometimes deeply withdrawn, suddenly rediscovering emotions, words and forgotten movements when they hear songs that hold personal meaning from their past.
The moving story of New York prima ballerina Marta C. Gonzalez further illustrates this phenomenon. Living with Alzheimer’s disease, she briefly recalled the choreography of Swan Lake upon hearing Tchaikovsky’s music. Seated in her wheelchair, her body began to move with grace once again, recreating the gestures she had performed on stage in 1967, in a video captured in 2019.
This documentary, like the ballerina’s simple yet powerful images, reminds us of music’s extraordinary ability to bring back what seems lost. It highlights the strength of musical and emotional memory. Even as cognitive memory fades, certain traces remain intact, deeply embedded within the brain.
Practicing music: a full-brain workout
It’s worth noting that while listening to music offers clear benefits, actively practicing music appears to have an even greater impact. Playing an instrument or singing engages the brain more deeply than listening alone. In fact, a large study conducted by researchers at UQAM involving more than 2,400 Canadians between the ages of 14 and 92 found that learning music can improve psychological well-being, support mental health and strengthen social connections – including among older adults.
The study even suggests that these benefits may be comparable to those of regular physical activity:
- Reduced stress levels;
- Improved mood;
- A stronger sense of purpose and social connection.
Music Benefits the Brain: A Daily Habit Worth Adopting
Of course, you don’t have to be a musician to enjoy music’s benefits for the brain. Often, all it takes is a little effort to make music part of your daily routine – no special equipment or musical training required.
Music can accompany everyday routines, mark different moments of the day or simply provide a welcome pause. However you choose to enjoy it, it can naturally become part of your life while helping keep your brain active and engaged.
Simple habits can make a meaningful difference: listening to your favourite songs, singing along, attending musical events or moving to a rhythm you enjoy. These small rituals can help support cognitive function while fostering positive emotions and a sense of joy.
A universal melody against social isolation
Finally, music can also serve as a powerful social connector. It brings generations together, encourages interaction, and creates opportunities for connection, enriching both the cultural and human fabric of our communities.
Group music activities – such as choirs, rhythm sessions or simply sharing moments of listening – can become meaningful opportunities for connection. These experiences help reduce loneliness, strengthen self-esteem and maintain a vital sense of belonging, regardless of age.
At Le Groupe Maurice, music has been a valued part of the experience for many years. Understanding its positive impact on the well-being and quality of life of older adults, the organization has built partnerships with renowned members of the music community, including the I Musici de Montréal ensemble, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and, more recently, the Orchestre Métropolitain.
Through these initiatives, the goal is clear: to make music more accessible and bring it closer to people of all generations. Whether through performances, gatherings, or music workshops, each opportunity is an invitation to appreciate, experience and fully embrace music as part of our daily lives.
By keeping music present in our lives, we continue to stimulate the parts of ourselves that remain vibrant, no matter our age. Every melody becomes an opportunity to awaken memories, emotions and connections within the brain – even as certain abilities gradually diminish. So then… what music still speaks to your heart?