From stress relief and improved mood to keeping minds sharp and connecting to others, a poll of people ages 50 to 80 found many positives from listening to or making music. Three-quarters of respondents said music helps them relieve stress or relax and 65% said it helps their mental health or mood, according to results from the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging. Furthermore, 60% said they get energized or motivated by music.

Those are just a few of the health-related benefits cited by older adults who answered questions about listening to and making music of all kinds. Virtually all (98%) said they benefit in at least one health-related way from engaging with music. In addition, 41% said music is very important to them, with another 48% saying it’s somewhat important.

Many respondents reported making music with other people at least occasionally, whether by singing or playing an instrument. In all, 8% said they have sung in a choir or other organized group at least a few times in the past year. About 8% of all respondents said they play an instrument with other people at least occasionally.

Most respondents reported listening to music, with 85% saying they listen to it at least a few times a week, 80% saying they’ve watched musical performances on television or the internet at least a few times in the past year, and 41% saying they had attended live musical performances in person at least a few times in the past year.

The poll also shows differences between groups in music listening habits and health impacts. Those who said their physical health is fair or poor, and those who said they often feel isolated were less likely to listen to music every day. Black older adults were more likely than others to have sung in a choir in the past year, and Black and Hispanic older adults were more likely to say that music is very important to them.

“While music doesn’t come up often in older adults’ visits with their usual care providers,

perhaps it should,” said poll director Jeffrey Kullgren, MD, MPH, MS. “The power of music to connect us, improve mood and energy, or even ease pain (like 7% of respondents said it does for them), means it could be a powerful tool.”

To download the full report, "The Sound of Music," click here