William Shakespeare wrote, "If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it ..."! Music has been known for its power to calm when one is feeling stressed, and lift the spirits when one is feeling low.

What has music to do with love? Music is an effective, easy and inexpensive way to add grace to the time couples spend together. It makes an intimate dinner sublime, heightens ecstasy when making love, and creates a spiritual connectivity when meditating together.

Can you really contemplate your relationship without some form of music in it? It soothes the soul and sets your mood and feelings. Whatever genres you prefer, there is something to move and inspire you. For couples who enjoy dancing, music is always there to make you feel alive! For those searching for love, music brings people together as you feel good about yourself; you may find the love and romance you are searching for.

Changing moods

Music genres encompasse the harmony and rhythm of musical instruments to serve a particular purpose or mood. Music can change the mood between couples, turning the potential of a fight in an amicable conversation where emotions are calmed as you listen to light, warm-hearted music and examine the reasons for your hostile behaviour. Music should not be used to drown out your partner or to skirt discussions over an important issue.

Soothing music in the morning can put a different slant to your day. Morning music can help get a laugh out of your partner, prepare them for a stressful day, or send a gentle reminder to say 'I love you'. According to Rose, when I slip in my Chariots of Fire CD at five in the morning, we have a hard time getting out of bed. But the early morning intimacy sends us off to work with a smile on our face." Within your home environment, you may want to use music to tune out external irritating noises like traffic, the garbage truck or screaming children next door.

Healthy couples

Couples want to stay healthy and music has the ability to heal your loved one. As the medical community looks for cheaper, non-medical aids to help improve patients' heart health, it seems that music is the prescription. Dr Winsome Miller-Rowe, Jamaican medical practitioner, composer and musicologist, believes that music has tremendous healing power and though people listen to music, they are unaware of the effects music has on them.

Tyrone Reid, writing in The Gleaner, posits that Dr Miller-Rowe is of the view that "music orchestrates and touches the physical, emotional, spiritual, social and intellectual aspects of people's lives". He added that Dr Miller-Rowe had cited studies to support her position on the therapeutic effect of music on mind, body and spirit.

Lowers cholesterol

Doctors may prescribe that you 'take a tune and come back to see me in the morning'. According to the Sunday Times, doctors have found that prescribing music can improve heart health and lower cholesterol. Their research found that if a patient listens to his favourite music for 30 minutes each day, it relaxes him mentally and at the physical level, it expands and clears the blood vessels.

Erectile dysfunction

Clearing the blood vessels is even more critical to men than women as men may suffer from erectile dysfunction which is problematic for intimacy. Music is believed to work by triggering the release of nitric oxide into the bloodstream which helps to prevent the build-up of blood clots and harmful cholesterol. While the effects of music lasts only a few seconds in the bloodstream, it is the accumulative benefit of favourite tunes that lasts and can be very positive for couples of all ages. The impact is strengthened by the volume and tempo of the music.

Blood vessel expansion indicates that nitric oxide is being released throughout the body, reducing clots and LDL, a form of cholesterol linked to heart attacks. In the same way, a study by Brunel University in west London confirmed what gym owners have known for years - that music can improve mood and boost athletic performance.

Sexual healing

Naturally, all couples want to boost sexual performance and music can help couples to make another strain of beautiful music as they make love. The right selection of music, especially those reminiscent of your days of courtship, can easily put you in the mood for love. You can play music as you put the children to bed or take a shower or lock up the house for the night. This slowly releases sexual tension that may have built up and prepares you for bed. Marvin Gay's song Sexual Healing is an example of a song that sets the tone for love. The lyrics are magical.

'Oh, Baby, let's get down tonight

Ooh baby, I'm hot just like an oven

I need some loving

And baby I can't hold it much longer

It's getting strong and stronger

And when I get that feeling

I want sexual healing

Sexual healing

Oh baby makes me feel so fine

Helps me relieve my mind

Sexual healing baby is good for me ...'

Personal choice

Spend a weekend refreshing and building your music collection. You can listen to and categorise your music according to your moods and activities. Music is a personal choice and you may want to make your own notes about each selection. What are the ones you would play for New Year's Eve at home? Or for your anniversary or your 'time-of-the-month'? You may also want to update your stereo system to smaller units that fits easily by your bed so access is more convenient.

Music awakens your senses and feelings of love. Music makes you feel alive and well. Importantly, music is uplifting to the soul and the spirit, the inner passion that we all feel from time to time.