Beat logo

How Music Helps My Physical Health

Music for the Body and Soul

By Kiki LynPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
Like

First I'll start by telling you a little something about myself...

I love music, I always have. If you looked at my music collection the only word to describe it would be eclectic. I have everything from pop, rock, jazz, to musical theatre. When I was younger, I used to sing along to the radio with my dad. My mum and dad were always surprised how quickly I picked up lyric even from a young age, singing along to the radio in the car. If me or my sister were ever ill my grandma used to bring us one of her old musicals to watch like Top Hat or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I loved all the over-the-top songs and dancing, pouring their hearts out to each other through the power of music. Then as I got older I started listening to the lyrics of songs on the radio and in musicals more, getting lost in the stories and emotions that the songs built up inside me. When I was 16, I started singing in a band that played at friends' parties. So music and singing were always a hobby for me but I never thought though that it would ever be something that would help me physically.

When I was in my early 20s, about 15 years ago, I started to have bad health problems. I struggled with back and neck pains, migraines, and numbness in the arms and legs. I was going through a bad divorce at the time and the doctors all blamed my symptoms on stress and depression but I always knew there was something else going on. After about two or three years, what seemed like an eternity, I finally got a diagnosis and had an operation on my skull and spine. I was a very long recovery and I was housebound for nearly a year. Although the surgery helped a little it didn’t really improve my symptoms, but the doctors did say it would stop my symptoms getting worse. I started to find myself in a vicious cycle of pain, feeling physically tired and feeling down and depressed. Anyone who has suffered with chronic pain has struggled with this at one time or another but I had to break the cycle. I just didn't know how. I wanted to find something I could still do that would take my mind off the pain even if it was only for a little while.

A friend in a similar situation suggested writing down all the things I could still do even with my pain and start spending more time on those things rather than concentrating on what I couldn't do. I decided to spend more time on my singing and booked myself into a local music school for singing lessons once a week. It became my haven! I practised songs in musical theatre and pop music, working towards my singing exams. I felt if I had a goal in mind it would give me an achievement to my hard work. The more I practised the more I benefited. Focusing on the words and the emotions behind them, having to act them out as I sang, allowed me to escape my own physical and emotional pain. For the first time in a long time, I could feel the cycle breaking. As my emotional health improved, I could cope much more easily with my physical health and the pain I felt everyday.

Since the start of my illness I hadn't sang in front of people but the more I sang privately the more I wanted to share my love of music. I started to sing at friend's weddings and parties and singing has now become something that I love! I am constantly toying with the idea of singing in other places like open mic nights or care homes. Singing in care homes for the elderly or disabled may not seem like a good place to sing but music really heals. The residents of those homes are people who, like me, sometimes need escape and that brings them happiness.

I guess the moral of this story is no matter what your circumstances are, find something you love. Something that you can put your heart and soul into because it may just be the thing that will save yours!

humanity
Like

About the Creator

Kiki Lyn

Taking one day at a time but loving it!

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.