Ep 67: Your Mind on Music: The Power of Music in Learning, Life, and Love (ft. Sara and Mort Sherman)

Okay, so this week we’re talking about one of the most powerful tools we have out there for our focus, our mental health, our community, our families, our children, ourselves - music! We don’t even realize how much music plays a role in our lives. And luckily, gone are the days of believing we must work in sterile, silent environments - many (or dare I say most?) brains, including those with ADHD and other EF challenges, truly benefit from some kind of stimulation while doing focused work. The power of music has been studied by researchers so if you’d like to learn more, I’ve shared some articles in the show notes. But one of the best resources I can recommend is a new book out called Resonant Minds. Written by a daughter and father pair, Sara and Mort Sherman, this book covers all aspects of music - from its impact on the brain and learning, including as a mindfulness practice or as Sara and Mort call it “mindful action”, to its positive impact on individuals and community. I sat down with Sara and Mort to learn about music and share stories about how music has impacted us and others and about, as Sara and Mort say, that music is ultimately about love. Sara and Mort are so uniquely qualified to write this book so I asked them to introduce themselves, and the book Resonant Minds is such a unique book that I knew it was only right for them to describe it, so let’s get on with the show! Here are the show notes from today’s episode: Learn More About Sara Sherman https://mozartformunchkins.com/ Learn More About Mort https://my.aasa.org/AASA/Resources/SAMag/Sep16/InsideSherman.aspx Resonant Minds book https://mozartformunchkins.com/resonant-minds-the-transformative-power-of-music-one-note-at-a-time/ https://www.resonantminds.com Research on Music and the Brain Melody for the Mind: Enhancing Mood, Motivation, Concentration, and Learning through Music Listening in the Classroom https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20592043231214085 Keep Your Brain Young with Music https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music The transformative power of music: Insights into neuroplasticity, health, and disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10765015/