Introduction

Music for almost everyone is synonymous with entertainment; however, in this article, we will be discussing a therapeutic side of music: Music therapy. According to the British Association for Music Therapists, music therapy is defined as “an established psychological clinical intervention, delivered by HCPC registered music therapists to help people whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability through supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs.” 

Meditation, on the other hand, can be described as a mind exercise similar to physical body exercise, only that in this case, it involves the brain and entails some emotional and mental practices. This mental exercise, just like physical exercise, has been linked with many mental and physical health benefits

Meditation and Music therapy each have their positive impacts, do imagine what the combined effect will look like. Don't imagine so much; let’s delve into the meat of the discussion on music therapy and meditation, the techniques for each, their individual impacts and their combined effects. ^1,2 

Techniques and practices

Music therapy techniques

 A music therapist is saddled with the responsibility of providing the client with a therapy that is most suited for them. The techniques are broadly grouped into the following intervention categories: ³

1. Writing Music: A therapeutic approach involves the therapist aiding clients in crafting their own musical compositions or lyrics. These creations can be documented or presented in subsequent sessions. Composition /songwriting serves various therapeutic objectives, which include encouraging creativity and providing an alternate means of expression while validating patients’ experiences and giving voice to their thoughts and emotions
2. Listening to Music: In this form of intervention, patients respond to music. This can produce an array of positive effects apart from the obvious entertainment it can enhance stimulation or relaxation, and promote auditory skills. It can also enhance mood and help with reminiscence
3. Re-creation: This is when the client sings or plays along a pre-composed song. This has the benefit of helping patients learn how to take turns and develop motor and social interaction skills
4. Improvisation: The patient here spontaneously makes music with what he can improvise with, including body percussion, simple instruments or the voice. The music therapist is trained to interpret and respond to this spontaneity. This benefits the patients as it strengthens their sense of freedom and encourages social interactions, especially when verbal communication is impaired

Benefits of music therapy 

1. Pain management: Research findings have supported the evidence for music therapy in pain management. Utilising it as a method for pain management is convenient, involves minimal risk, is budget-friendly, and does not require extensive staff training. It holds the capability to reduce the need for moderate sedation and improve the overall patient experience⁴
2. Speech rehabilitation: Music therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing functional communication, repetition, and naming skills among individuals experiencing post-stroke aphasia. However, its impact on comprehension did not show a significant improvement⁵
3. Improve social interactions; Music therapy has proven to be a safe and efficacious method in assisting children with autism who exhibit diminished interest in social interactions. It serves as a beneficial approach to support their integration into the social environment⁶
4. Increase respiratory Capability: Music therapy has been found to be a plausible adjunct in the management of respiratory disorders like COPD⁷
5. A safe and cost-effective method of stress management; In an article by Mofrej A. et al, Music therapy was said to aid stress management for critically ill patients and help them in coping with various aspects of their illness leading to improvements in physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. It may also help control and reduce pain and agitation.⁸ This same benefit can also be derived from music therapy by the general public in addition to its utility as entertainment 

Meditation practices

Meditation in a similar way to music therapy is a safe, cheap yet effective alternative to pharmacotherapy in managing or even preventing mental/physical disorders as has been proved in literature. ^9,2 There are various nuances to the practice of meditation but one common denominator amongst them is that they all involve the exercise of the mind capability. 

Types of meditation practices¹⁰

1. Focused attention meditation (FA); Focused Attention (FA) involves maintaining concentrated and selective focus on a chosen object, with respiration being a frequent choice. This practice aims to redirect the wandering mind back to the selected focal point, emphasising the dominance of a singular thought over the multitude of distracting thoughts
2. Open monitoring meditation (OM): Open Monitoring (OM) involves sustaining a state of insight and awareness, attentively observing various aspects such as thoughts, feelings, and emotions without engaging in judgment or evaluation of these mental phenomena
3. Transcendental meditation (TM): Transcendental Meditation (TM) practitioners in India and China employ the repetition of a silent mantra to foster deep physical and mental relaxation, aiming to prevent distractions. While not extensively utilised in mental rehabilitation, TM has demonstrated application in individuals dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
4. Loving-kindness meditation (LKM); This approach focuses on fostering unconditional kindness in individuals, directed towards both themselves and others. It has been applied in therapies addressing conditions like depression and schizophrenia
5. Mindfulness meditation (MM): MM is the most extensively used meditation technique with an integrated FA–OM essence. The techniques which form the primary basis of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are commonly implemented, including mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) 
6. Body-mind meditation (B-M); a B-M method that combines exercise and FA as well as OM methods. A popular example is yoga

Health benefits of meditation²

1. Improved Brain health and cognition: Meditation induces continuous changes in brain structure, enhancing metacognition, body consciousness, memory, self-awareness, and emotion regulation. It increases cortex thickness, grey matter volume, and density, promoting overall brain health.
2. Stress Reduction: Prolonged meditation enhances autonomic nerve function by increasing parasympathetic activity and reducing sympathetic innervation. This leads to improved heart rate variability (HRV), decreased heart rate (HR), and better ANS stability, contributing to stress reduction and emotional regulation. It basically calms the fret
3. Health of the immune system: Meditation modulates inflammatory cytokines, maintaining a fine-tuning balance in the immune system. It can reduce inflammation and has been associated with lower levels of cytokines in various diseases, contributing to overall immune health. Thus, meditation can be said to be one of the lifestyle modifications alongside a healthy diet and physical exercise to promote health and vitality
4. Expression of good genes: Long-term meditation influences epigenetics, promoting health-related gene expression. It leads to changes in histone modification and chromatin-regulated gene expression, potentially impacting the treatment of major depressive disorder and inflammation-related diseases
5. Anti-ageing effect: This is a result of its effect on Telomere Biology. Meditation training can improve telomere regulation, a key indicator of cell ageing and physiological stress. It is associated with increased telomerase activity and potential anti-ageing effects, contributing to overall health and well-being

Case studies/Research/ Anecdotes

1. Parents testimonial: Music Therapy is not just an evidence-based field; it is one with real-time testimonials, just like the story of Williams, whose parents penned a heartfelt story to appreciate his therapist on claims that the therapy has helped their autistic child with better social interaction. Incorporating music therapy created a safe and inclusive space for William to cultivate connections with peers, express himself using both verbal and nonverbal means, and acquire skills for socially acceptable interaction. The success in achieving these outcomes stemmed from a combination of group therapy sessions and personalised individual sessions, showcasing the versatility and effectiveness of music therapy in addressing various aspects of personal and social development¹¹
2. Application in Clinical Settings: A music therapist, Deforia Lane, PhD,  in her Ted talk titled “Music Therapy & Medicine: A Dynamic Partnership”, described how music therapy allows the brain to circumvent the damaged areas in the brain to create a new route for her patients to sing and to talk. She also pointed out how it is being used in her hospital for pain reduction, reducing anxiety, withdrawal and depression, improving physical and motor rehabilitation, facilitating expressions of feelings and increasing socialisation. Music therapy has also been found to serve as a safe adjunct in pre-operative anxiety management for patients undergoing cancer surgery¹² 
3. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of the positive effects of meditation, hence the reason why it is still significantly popular

Summary

Music is not just all entertainment as meditation its recent popularity and trend. They have important mental and physical health benefits. Music therapy which involves techniques like composing, listening, and improvisation has benefits in pain management, speech rehabilitation, social interactions, and stress reduction. Meditation practices, including mindfulness and loving-kindness, enhance brain health, reduce stress, support the immune system, express beneficial genes, and potentially have anti-ageing effects. Real-life cases highlight successful outcomes in music therapy and meditation, aiding autistic children and supporting various clinical settings. Both music therapy and meditation contribute to mental and physical well-being.