Way before iPods, Walkmans and the quest for legal music downloading, music had been around, stimulating the minds (and fingers) of Bach, Mozart and many more.

Studies have shown that music is beneficial to the development of the brain. In a study where involving fetuses exposed to classical music, by the time they were born and eventually grew a year older, the babies exposed to music better memory retention, able to talk and walk earlier than those who did not.

But music is not just for babies and the brain. It is also for happiness.

In a study involving participants undergoing an eye surgery, they were allowed to listen to their preferred music. They showed lower heart rates, lower blood pressure and their hearts were not pressured to pump blood than those who was never exposed to music while in a surgery.

In another situation involving participants undergoing colonoscopy, they showed better emotional levels and also a reduced anxiety. The good thing is they also required reduced levels of sedatives.

Moreover, music is also shown to improve sleep and sleeping patterns. People immersed in music before and while sleeping showed an increased production of the sleep chemical Melatonin, thereby facilitating better sleep and better well being.

Source: www.about.com