Music can be a hobby for most people, an escape or an emotional tool. But for some, music is a laboratory gate that opens to the functioning of the mind and brain. Here, one of the young researchers working behind that door, Turkish Cypriot academician Ceren Ayyıldız is a PhD in Music Psychology at the University of Sydney.
Ayyıldız, who met with the piano as a child and established a more conscious connection with music in high school, continues his academic journey with music education at the University of Durham in England and continues to investigate the relationship between mental images, imagination and music in Australia today.
“Music touches not only our ears, but our minds, our hearts and our whole body.” Ayyıldız said that music is a physical and cognitive interaction and said, “Music can secrete dopamine, reduce cortisol, mobilize memory. It activates not only emotions but also the brain, affects the heart, relieves the body, supports pain management in general.” he said.
Referring to the importance of adding music to the daily life as an emotional and psychological support element, Ayyıldız emphasized that “conscious listening” should be a part of daily routine, “It is possible to explore the limits of the human mind in a carefully listened melody.” he said.
Ceren Ayyıldız told the Turkish Agency to Cyprus (TAK) about his journey from the piano to the laboratory and emphasized that music is not only the soul but also the whole body.
– “I’m trying to understand the effect of music on the human mind”
Ayyıldız, who was born in Nicosia and studied music at the TRNC until he started his undergraduate education at the University of Durham at the University of Durham in England and met music through the piano, explained how he turned to music psychology as follows:
“Music has had an important place in my life since I was a child. However, while playing a work in high school years, I learned not only the notes, but also the composer’s life story, emotion and period. In time, not only to make music, but also to understand the emotional, mental and physical effects of music on people. impressed. ”
In this way, Ayyıldız, who started to look at music not only as art but as an object of scientific research, stated that he decided to make a master’s degree in the “Music, Mind and Brain” program at Goldsmiths University in London, and how the feeling of innovation felt while listening to music and how it was related to the brain reward system.
Ayıldız In a study using FMRI, structural changes in music – the displacement of rhythmic patterns in music – has aroused a strong feeling of innovation in the audience. Brain scans showed that these changes lead to increasing activation in the reward system of the brain. ” He said.
After his master’s studies, Ayyıldız, who started his doctoral studies at Sydney University and continued his studies on music and mental images under the roof of “Sydney Music, Mind & Body Lab”, said how the dreams of the human being formed in his work and how the dreams of this musical elements occur. “Even a rhythm can revive or create a feeling.” he said.
“Something changes in our minds in every music we listen to. I am after that moment of change.” Ayyıldız, who uses his statements, said that he aims to contribute to the development of music -based approaches in other disciplines with his studies.
– “Music is a comrade against loneliness”
Ayyıldız, who also worked on loneliness and old age in recent years, examined the emotional ties established by individuals over 60 years of age and published in Musicae Scientiae magazine during the year and pointed out that he was perceived as a comrade in the struggle of the elderly people. He said.
– “It is important for children to meet music at an early age, but this should not be forced”
Stating that the effect of music has changed in different age groups, Ayyıldız emphasized that the sense of discovery in music starts with the game in children, the search for belonging in puberty, emotional arrangement in adulthood, and in old age to cope with loneliness.
Noting the importance of children’s acquaintance with music at an early age, Ayyıldız said, “Forced music to a child can bring more harm than good. However, if a sincere connection is established with music, this will support many development areas such as attention, self -confidence and coordination.” He said.
Ayyıldız, even listening to music during pregnancy, fetus rhythms to perceive the rhythms through vibration, and this experience may be effective in adaptation to the postnatal environment.
– “Music is a complementary healing tool in many diseases”
Ayyıldız said that music is a complementary recovery tool in many diseases and that music therapy, which has recently been popular and started to be implemented in the country, is especially effective in many cases such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, dementia and autism spectrum disorders.
Ayyıldız, music in Alzheimer’s patients with familiar songs to revive the memory, chronic pain in patients by reducing the perception of pain, reduces the need for analgesic, depression can reach more easily thanks to music, said that the pre -surgical anxiety.
In addition, making music together (singing, keeping rhythm), the immune system strengthens the secretion of hormones that support Ayyıldız, stroked individuals in individuals such as melodic speech therapy can be recovered with music -based methods, he said.
– “Music carries culture, has history”
Emphasizing the importance of local music and sharing the concern about the ignorance of local music cultures under the influence of globalization, Ayyıldız said that this could harm the cultural diversity.
Ayyıldız argued that folk music, traditional instruments and local rhythms should not be forgotten and said, “Recognizing our own folk music, instruments and our world of sound is very important in terms of preserving our cultural identity. It carries a culture of music; it carries history. To understand a melody.” He said.
Ayyıldız noted that music psychology is enriched with cultural differences and stressed that the more music is exposed to music, the faster the rhythms will be grasped.
– Recommendation to young people: “Music is not just playing. Wondering, question and think interpersonal without fear”
When asked about the future plans, Ayyıldız said that he aims to progress both in the academy and field applications and that he plans to investigate the role of music in the imagination and emotional development by working with children in the future.
Addressing to young people who are interested in music psychology, Ayyıldız advised them not to see music as an instrument or performance field. he said.
Ayyıldız, those who want to advance in this field to curious, questioning, should think interdisciplinary without fear, said the future of music psychology, biology and neuroscience more integrated as an area, he said.
– “Conscious music should get the habit of listening”
Ayyıldız, who draws attention to the benefits of listening to music in his daily life “consciously ve in his daily life, that is, not only in the background, but not only in the background, the separation of music is not only in the background. he said.
Ayyıldız, the time spent during the day, the mood can balance the mood, can reduce stress, can strengthen social ties, he said.
Stating that the type of music to be listened to should be a personal choice, Ayyıldız used the following statements:
“Some people relax with classical music, some of them are with the sounds of nature, some of them are with pop songs they listen to in their youth. The important thing is that the person who discovers which music is good for him. Although scientifically showing the relaxing effect of some types of music, it is not possible to make a universal ranking because everyone’s emotional and cultural history is different.”
Ayyıldız, who recommends the establishment of a deeper bond with music, stressed that “a carefully listened melody is possible to explore the limits of the human mind”.
Source: OriginalArticle