As noted by Taylor (2004), Harvey in 1987 described the interrelationship of music, mind, and medicine in what would become known as biomedical music therapy, stating: “1) The center of control for the human organism is the brain; 2) Music is processed by the brain and through the brain, after which it can then affect us in many ways; 3) Music can have a positive effect upon both neural functions and hormonal activity and, as such, can facilitate the healthy functioning of the body's own immune and regenerative processes” (Harvey, 1987, pp. 73–74).
One aspect of healthy functioning is wellness. Wellness has been described in part as a positive attitude towards, and active engagement in, one's personal health environment (Benson & McDevitt, 1989; Corbin, Welk, Corbin, & Welk, in press). It has been suggested that a positive attitude and state of mind may enhance wellness and a sense of well-being, in turn positively affecting one's physical health (Ghetti, Hama, & Woolrich, 2004; Pinel, 2006). Wellness involves the creation of homeostasis for the individual by finding a balance between both internal and external environments (Edlin & Golanty, 1992). As a lifestyle model, it has become an important aspect of the contemporary health movement, with consumers, health providers, insurers, and entire communities becoming involved in its acceptance and growth (Patel, Koegel, Booker, Jones, & Wells, 2006; Sharon & Donahue, 2006; Smith & Llloyd, 2006).
The uses of music therapy to positively affect physiological functioning as included in a wellness model have been discussed and reviewed by a number of authors (Crowe, 2004; Crowe & Scovel, 1996; Dileo, 1999 and Hanser, 1999; Hanser & Mandel, 2005; Harvey, 1992; Hirsch & Meckes, 2000; Keegan, 2003, Lane, 1994, Maranto, 1992, Scheve, 2004, Standley et al., 2005, Taylor, 1997 and Taylor, 2004). Music therapy as a professional health treatment modality may require that services be provided by a credentialed music therapist (Bruscia, 1998, Hanser, 1999 and Maranto, 1992). However, consumers may also benefit from using music on their own as part of their personal wellness routines and practices (Ghetti et al., 2004). In addition, allied professionals such as creative arts therapists, nurses, music practitioners, and others may also use music in various ways to help their clients derive wellness benefits from engaging in music-based experiences (Pratt, 2004 and Roskam, 1993).
One focus of wellness is often stress management and relaxation (Corbin et al., in press). This can be the case whether the consumer is relatively healthy or has a diagnosed medical condition (Deng & Cassileth, 2005; Fouladbakhsh, Stommel, Given, & Given, 2005; Mandel, 1996, Patel et al., 2006, Sagar, 2006 and White, 1992). Music-based interventions related to wellness, stress reduction, and relaxation can include a variety of experiences ranging from active and expressive activities such as singing and playing instruments to receptive and passive activities such as music listening (Davis, Gfeller, & Thaut, 1999; Hanser, 1999; Hanser & Mandel, 2005; Maranto, 1992 and Scheve, 2004). The focus of this article is the receptive use of music listening to help the client consumer derive wellness benefits by facilitating relaxation, regardless of their existing state of health. The purpose of this article is to give these consumers and allied health professionals such as creative arts therapists a basic overview of how music listening can positively affect human physiology related to relaxation and stress management as part of an overall wellness model.
