We all know anecdotally that music makes us feel better. Throughout history, it has been helping young children relax and fall asleep, helping us unite and celebrate as we get older, while soothing older people during times of uncertainty. Since COVID-19/lockdown, there has been even more research conducted on the effects of music on different health conditions. But what were the findings on the use of music therapy, specifically within hospital environments?
The Science
Research has shown that music therapy involves recognising, acknowledging, and respecting children, personalising each child’s individual experience, and ensuring that each is bespoke and unique. As the music therapist works with the child’s affective, emotional, or physical state, music works to integrate the patient with the procedure, as opposed to distracting them. This minimises the risk of the child developing a future aversion to invasive procedures or, even worse, avoidance of all future medical interventions.
Not only does music therapy help children to develop a positive mindset in difficult circumstances, it also helps to regulate breathing and oxygen saturation, regulate heart rate and cortisol/stress levels, and lower blood pressure. Mentally, music interventions have been shown to decrease pain perception, fear, and anxiety, as well as actively building resilience in medical situations, making them more pleasant for both the child and parent.
A Swedish study (Silberstein, A. et al., 2024) showed that a single session of music therapy helped children’s emotional regulation during invasive medical procedures, helped children to find adaptive coping strategies, and improved children’s ability to cope independently, needing less adult support. This is because children, in their own words, felt calmer, comforted, empowered, and as though tension had been released.
Practical Applications Of Music Therapy
Parents felt they weren’t needed as much, that they would not be missed if they left at some points, and even felt that the music therapy helped their child’s recovery by making the child calmer and more approachable afterwards. Children felt safe listening to familiar (nursery) music, giving parents more ideas for supporting their child. Instead of distracting from the procedure, parents felt that children were able to be more present, absorbing the music and not being blocked off by fear and discomfort.
While so much more could be said about the difference it makes and why, it may be more helpful to focus on what was done, what was used, and what we could do or learn when we are in difficult everyday situations.
Music therapists brought along resources such as songbooks and a range of musical instruments, from piano, drums, and other instruments to tap and shake. While medical staff prepared, the music therapist asked about the child’s musical preferences, favourite songs, and invited the family to join in with musical play, which continued beyond the end of the medical procedure. The therapist used the child’s responses to decide whether they needed to relax or be more active. Most importantly, the parent, child, and therapist were creating music together, sometimes familiar, sometimes new music, with each session lasting between 10 and 30 minutes each.
Thankfully, most of us will never need this level of intervention, but some potentially unpleasant situations would benefit from this creative and positive approach. Bedtime, for example, can be challenging, and here are a few songs to add to your options.
You Are My Sunshine
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You’ll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don’t take
My sunshine away
This well-known war song seems to have originated in America around 1939/1940, with the author disputed – but all seem to claim that they had received a long letter from a girl saying that he (the writer) was her “sunshine”. With such a lovely feeling of hope, commitment, appreciation, and even desperation, this song has been used in various situations all over the world. From families to lovers, and friends to new parents, these words can hold meaning in so many situations, making it a lovely way to rock little ones off to dreamland.
Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Din, din, don; din, din, don.
This traditional French song has been translated as:
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing
Ding, dang dong; ding, dang, dong
The original French words use the song to remind Frère Jacques to wake up to ring the bells for midnight/early morning prayers, while the English translation suggests that the bells woke Brother John! Musically, this song is often sung in a round, where a second group starts the song again after the first line is sung. This gives the song an unending quality, with just enough variance to be interesting, but also just enough predictability to relax and drift off to sleep.
Kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya, my Lord, kumbaya
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s sleeping, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s sleeping, Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s sleeping, Lord, kumbaya
Oh, Lord, kumbaya
Although this traditional campfire song seems to have African roots, it appears to be more accurately African American, originating from the southern states and the prevalent slavery system. The words were written phonetically, but originally were intended as “come by here”, a plea for divine help for people ill or needing help. The repetition in the words makes it an easy song for groups to join in without needing to learn lyrics, an easy song for non-readers as well as children to learn and sing. The lilting 6/8 timing makes it perfect for gently rocking little ones to sleep.
While music is often used medically for its ability to distract the mind from the present, possibly unpleasant situation, it has been shown to have more far-reaching effects. With its ability to bring back long-forgotten memories, feelings, and even smells, it makes one wonder how much easier so many medical procedures may be – or may have been – if only for music.
