According to an article presented by NPR, Americans are watching more TV than ever. The average person in the U.S. watches more than five hours a day, and seniors are watching even more TV than younger people.

As stated in the article, researchers at the University of California San Diego found that people over the age of 65 watch three times as much television as younger people, but they are enjoying it less. It has been established through research that listening to music can provide mental health benefits for seniors, including memory improvement and stress relief.

Music to Stimulate the Brain

Music is an excellent tool for working out the brain. Research has shown that listening to music can:

• Reduce anxiety
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce pain
• Improve quality of sleep
• Elevate mood
• Enhance memory and mental alertness

What Is the Connection between Music and the Brain?

Music vibrations travel through the air into the ear canal where they are transmitted into an electrical signal which travels through the auditory nerve to the brain. Music is mathematical, structural, and architectural and based on the relationships between notes. To make sense of it, the brain must perform a significant amount of computing.

Benefits for Seniors of Exercising to Music

Music makes exercise more fun. Studies have also shown that listening to music while exercising benefits older people by helping them maintain balance and reducing the risk of falls.

How Listening to Music Can Improve Quality of Life for Seniors

Studies concerning music and elderly people have shown that listening to music has many mental health benefits for seniors, including:

• Enhanced mood
• Improved interest level
• More positive outlook on life
• Greater relaxation
• Increased self-esteem
• Reduced anxiety and tension

Research has also shown that working out the brain with music can lead to:

• Greater ability to concentrate
• Increased awareness
• Improved memory and recall
• Increased cognitive abilities
• Greater mobility and coordination
• Diminished pain
• Reduced recovery time
• Less need for medications

Watching TV vs. Listening to Music

Studies have shown that listening to music can be beneficial for both the mind and the body. Conversely, TV can be bad for your health in several different ways, as discussed in a Huffington Post article. Too much TV watching can:

• Expand the waistline
• Increase the risk of diabetes
• Interfere with sleep
• Increase feelings of loneliness and isolation
• Shorten lifespan

Medical Alert Systems for Senior Citizens

Seniors can make lifestyle changes to improve their quality of life, which may include medical alert systems for greater peace of mind. When accidents or medical emergencies occur, medical alert systems make it possible for older people to get help on the way with the push of a button on a bracelet or pendant that can be worn 24 hours a day. Our medical alert comparison is provided a tool to help you compare medical alert systems and select the right one for you.