McGill university's neuropsychology department has a team of searchers working on the effects of music on the human brain (check it here : http://www.yourbrainonmusic.com/ )
Though there are similarities in how humans as a whole react to music, I think the exact effects it has on someone's mind is a very personal, singular experience. And sometimes there are sounds that have unexpected influences on us : when I'm restless I listen to Olivier Messiaen's work, it helps me settle down and concentrate. God knows why.
I've been really stressed in the last few weeks, and as it is always with stress and me it affects my sleep patterns in a major way. When I do sleep I get vivid nightmares and wake up after 12-14 hours of unsatisfying sleep that leaves me tired for the full day, as if I hadn't slept at all.
But I found out recently that if I listen to little-scale's music I do not dream at all and wake up after 5 or 6 hours, absolutely rested and full of energy all day long. I absolutely don't know why, but I'm sticking to it : much better than sleeping pills!
Last summer I trained three times a week ( I had lost a couple of pounds due to swine flu, mostly muscles, and wanted to shape back up), and the only thing I could listen to while training was Bit Shifter. I tried other chipmusic, breakcore, punk, and countless other stuff just to realise that I was totes not able to train if I wasn't listening to Bit Shifter. And let me tell you that of all his fans, that summer, I was the one who longed the most for a new album! :3
Anybody else had similar experiences?