not that we didn't already know music is good for us, but a recent u.s. news & world report article quantified some research on music's healing nature. among the findings:


patients who listened to music after hernia surgery required less morphine to control pain.

singing lullabies to babies [slowly, softly, and timed to breathing rate] was more effective than a sedative in getting the babies to sleep before their brain scans.

live music played in neonatal intensive care units can send preemies home up to 12 days earlier, saving about 2 grand a day. music also helps preemies gain weight and breathe better.

using music instead of meds to lull children to sleep can substantially reduce the cost of echocardiograms by eliminating the need for a medicating nurse and reducing procedure time.

music may cause cells to release endorphins, which suppress pain, and immunoglobins, which help fight disease.

music seems to act on the brain and body's 'feel-good' systems -- the endogenous opioid, dopamine and cannabanoid sectors [so you don't need to get high to get high].

and it's not research, but if you're pursuing a career in medicine, consider doing your residency at new york's beth israel medical center, where aspiring docs convene in the center's music studio to play drums and work out tension along the way.

so next time the wifey or hubby bemoans your drum purchase, tell 'em it's all being done in the name of science!

I think she'd have a good counter-argument that patients recovering from hernia surgery would benefit little from me playing "Moby Dick" for them.

I think he means the Mozart is better after tasting the wine!