Episode 7: Using Music to Improve Learning and Reduce Stress with Alex Doman

In this episode:

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could learn better and reduce stress just by listening to music? Sounds too good to be true, right?

In this episode, we have Alex Doman, the founder of one of our favorite listening programs, TLP. He sits on  mountains of research and data showing the dramatic changes in learning and stress when brains are given the right musical prescription. 

He goes into the science of how different frequencies and tempos in music affect us, especially when the brain isn’t able to process various frequencies, as is the case in APD. However, when placed correctly throughout the day, the frequencies and tempo can create the playlist for living your best life. 

As my kids were growing up, we used to play “Don’t Worry Be Happy” in the mornings. We did it just to be funny, but now it makes so much sense why it set the right tone for the day. The higher frequencies and upbeat tempo energized our waking bodies. It’s no wonder that sound design and soundtracks are so critical in movies to elicit certain emotions.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How different sound frequencies impact our mood and brain power in different ways
• The connection between music and auditory processing
• Listening programs that were developed as a therapeutic tool for stress, and for training the brain

Episode highlight:

“We need periods of quiet. We also need space from sound, space from music…” – Alex Doman

In this episode, Alex Doman shares how we’re in a sensitive time in human history where our senses are constantly being overloaded, and how that can negatively affect our mental, emotional, and physical health. While music has therapeutic benefits, quiet periods are also needed to integrate all the information we take in. That’s where he sees the significant improvements happen.

Resources:

• Advanced Brain Technologies (ABT) – Alex Doman’s company of neuroscience-based music programs
• The Listening Program Research – Research and case studies from ABT
• Advanced Brain Podcast – ABT’s very own podcast with Alex Doman
• Brains Need Breaks – Blog Article with recommended exercises

Bonus Q&A:

How can music influence behavior and brain neuroplasticity?

The short answer is that music, when used in a prescriptive way, can train our brains to better process the different frequencies in sound. Different frequencies can reset our nervous system so we can rest, recover and re-energize. 

Other questions:

• Can sound therapy help with brain injuries or PTSD?
• Can listening programs help sleep issues in a child with ADHD?

Tune into the Bonus Q&A below.