melody assistant change tempo in the middle

Musical compositions are complex blends of expressively organized sound consisting of five elements: rhythm, melody, pitch, harmony and interval ( Bunt 1994). Music, which is both a science and art, is created by ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity ( Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary 1994). A comprehensive review of music theory is beyond the scope of this paper, but basic discussions of the five elements of music are provided. In fact, the word music comes from the Greek word ‘mousike’, and the Greeks were the first to investigate music and its influence on health ( McClellan 1991). Ancient Egyptians, Chinese and Florence Nightingale have documented the therapeutic uses of music for healing purposes ( White 2000).

Historically, music has been universally valued for its psychological and physiological effects on humans ( Murrock 2005). As a result, physical inactivity is a major public health problem in most countries therefore, effective strategies are urgently needed to improve physical activity in all populations worldwide. Unfortunately, at least 60% of the world’s population does not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity needed to produce these health benefits ( World Health Organization 2008). Furthermore, physical activity produces health benefits through positive effects on hypertension, osteoporosis, body weight and composition, decreased depression, anxiety, stress and decreased falls ( World Health Organization 2008). These health benefits include decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer. It is recommended that adults engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity three to five times per week to obtain health benefits.

Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure ( USDHHS 2000). Thus, this paper presents a discussion of a middle-range nursing theory developed from physical activity guidelines and music theory to improve the health outcomes of weight, blood pressure, glycolated haemoglobin, cardiovascular risk factors and quality of life. By combining psychological and physiological responses to music, the proposed theory of music, mood and movement (MMM) provides potential cross-cultural prescriptions for music as a nursing intervention to promote the initiation and maintenance of physical activity. As for physiological responses, the rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) technique ( Thaut et al. Based on the Parse Research Method, music is the medium for expressing feelings ( Jonas-Simpson 1997), the experience of being listened to ( Jonas-Simpson 2003) and quality of life in patients with dementia ( Jonas-Simpson 2004). Currently, there are two middle-range nursing theories that emphasize the psychological responses of music to improve health outcomes: the theory of pain: a balance between analgesia and side effects ( Good 1998) and the theory of individualized music intervention for agitation (IMIA) ( Gerdner 1997). Through the ordering of tones or sounds to produce compositions, music produces psychological and physiological responses within the human body. One strategy is to develop a middle-range theory with music as an intervention to increase physical activity and improve health outcomes. Hence, cross-cultural, innovative, evidence-based strategies to promote physical activity and improve a wide range of health outcomes continue to be an important area for nursing research and practice worldwide.

Unfortunately, physical inactivity is increasingly prevalent in industrialized countries and contributes to obesity and chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes ( Hirvensalo et al. International guidelines for physical activity recommend that adults engage in regular, moderate–intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day for 3–5 days per week to obtain health benefits ( USDHHS 2000, Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute 2002, Van Sluijs et al.

Melody assistant change tempo in the middle