Source: Consequence of Sound
Concerts can be daunting as you get older, what with late start times, a slew of opening acts, and the prospect of standing next to tall, sweaty people for several hours. A new study, however, claims that the effort’s worth it.
Conducted by behavioral science expert Patrick Fagan, the study finds that regular concert attendance can increase one’s lifespan by up to nine years. The logic here is that live music increases feelings of self-worth, closeness to others, and, especially, mental stimulation, all of which contribute to one’s sense of well-being. According to the study, there’s a “positive correlation between regularity of gig attendance and well-being,” and “additional scholarly research directly links high levels of well-being with a lifespan increase of nine years.”
These sensations of well-being were measured using psychometric testing and heart-rate tests, and the study says experiencing a gig for just 20 minutes can result in a 21% increase in feelings of well-being. The study’s recommendation is that one concert every two weeks will score one’s “happiness, contentment, productivity and self-esteem at the highest level.”
Does that sound like a load of hooey to you? Yeah, maybe, but who are we to argue? Some of the most fun we’ve ever had has been at concerts, and who’s going to disagree that happy people are likely to live longer?
Also, this isn’t the first time scientists have come to such a conclusion: An August 2016 study found that most folks who regularly attend concerts report feeling happier about their lives overall.
The study from researchers at Australia’s Deakin University surveyed 1,000 people and found that those who attended any sort of communal musical experience — whether a concert festival or just a night out dancing — reported higher levels of satisfaction with their lives.
The study also specifically found that the communal aspect was the important part, as regularly listening to music alone did not cause the same effect on “social well- being”. Which means that music journalists will have to find another scapegoat for their cynicism and general grumpitude.