I’m writing this note five days before Christmas ... the January issue always goes out before the holiday... one more thing to add to the holiday crush ... and I wanted to share a little example of how music can affect mood.
My husband, son and I were in the throes of the holiday frenzy the other evening – my husband was wrapping some of the pile of gifts we’d accumulated, my son was wrapping his girlfriend’s gifts and I was hard at work trying to prepare one of the must-have holiday treats for this year’s gatherings.
Things were getting a bit tense, as I nearly cut myself shaving chocolate, the wrapping paper started to tear on the corner of a bulky box my son was struggling with, and I couldn’t find the cheat sheet with the correct spelling of the names of the kids in the extended family we would be seeing on Christmas Eve, despite tearing my purse apart.
That’s when my son cued up his Spotify Christmas listening list, sending it through the family smart speaker in the kitchen.
As the strains of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” and Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” – among other classic favorites – began to float through the house, I felt my mood lift.
The next thing I knew, we were all humming along with the familiar tunes.
Spotify literally saved the evening for all of us.
Such is the power of music to improve the quality of daily life.
Music and its effect on life – in this case the power to influence wellness and aging – are the subject of this month’s feature story. In researching the piece, I had a fascinating conversation with a professor from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay about his recent research on just that subject.
His conclusions spawned a book, and a YouTube channel highlighting some of the songs that he and his co-author felt were influential examples of how music can affect wellness. It’s worth a listen.
I also spoke with some more local experts on the power of music – including Bob Cilman, longtime director of the famed Young@Heart chorus, renown for the spirit – and age – of its performers.
And in the spirit of January as a time of renewal, Prime also reached out to a local fitness expert for tips on how people over the age of 50 can safely start an exercise program, and our Tech column offers a review of email newsletters written for and about topics those entering midlife – and beyond – will find useful and informative.
However you start the New Year – resolutions or no – I hope you stay safe and healthy. As always, thanks for reading,
