The flute is a unique member of the woodwind instrument family. Its slender shape and generally silver, shiny color makes it one of the more visually attractive instruments. The sound is produced by blowing across the mouthpiece instead of into it, with the fingers interrupting the air flow and changing the pitch by covering a series of holes. The sound is also beautiful, with an airy, ethereal, whispering quality in a higher pitch than other woodwind instruments. Flute sheet music enables flutists to play a variety of classical and contemporary pieces arranged specifically for their instrument. Flute music also offers a variety of health benefits.
Importance of Music in Meditation
Meditation is a popular practice of mindfulness that has great health benefits, helping to ease stress and anxiety. Successful meditation requires a deep focus on your inner self, but distractions can interfere and prevent this level of introspection. Soft, soothing music is helpful for this, as a focus on rhythms and melodies played can help people to relax and concentrate. Classical music is recommended for meditation, and the flute is a beautiful instrument for playing classical music.
Music Therapy
Playing the flute has been studied as a form of music therapy with perceived connections to improvement in oxygen saturation, quality of life, and respiration rates in patients with lung disease. Patients in a study at Beth Israel showed an improvement in heart rate during sessions of playing the flute. By obtaining a variety of flute sheet music, you can put the therapeutic powers of the instrument to work.
Research in Healing Benefits
The use of the Native American style flute (NAF) is the subject of recent studies in overall health improvement. These instruments have demonstrated improvement in anxiety and asthma experienced by flutists. They also experience improvements in levels of stress and PTSD. Flute playing has shown promise in staving off depression and even in producing cancer-fighting cells.
Benefits of Therapeutic Breathing
The act of playing the flute engages the musician in therapeutic breathing. This intentional and controlled form of breathing has long been touted in Chinese medicine for such physiological benefits as managing energy and body fluids, regulating water levels in the body, protecting the skin, and controlling blood vessels. Flute sheet music provides a forum for playing the instrument and harnessing the benefits of therapeutic breathing.
Relaxing Elements of the Flute
The melodious sounds of the flute are particularly helpful for relaxation. The following relaxation benefits can be attributed to the instrument.
- Reducing depression: Research shows that listening to the flute can reduce anxiety and help deal with depression.
- Reducing stress: The angelic sound of the flute helps to improve focus and de-clutter the mind, leading to reduced levels of stress.
- Relaxing the body: Flute music has been proven to relax the body, deepening the sleep stage and contributing to reducing insomnia and maximizing sleep patterns.
- Relaxing the nervous system: The music of the flute can slow the heart rate and positively impact the body by soothing the nerves.
Find Flute Sheet Music
The beautiful sounds of the flute are beneficial for those who listen, and the act of playing the instrument has amazing benefits for the musician as well. Check out Musicnotes for flute sheet music that can help improve your health and well-being.
