I’m a huge music fan. New releases, playing guitar, going to concerts: I love it all. That’s probably why I usually go through each day with some sort of song playing in my head. Call it a “personal soundtrack.” Maybe you do the same.
In my search for new music, I recently came across something that I had never seen before: a brilliant way to merge music with medicine. Of course, music has always helped people who suffer from medical conditions improve their situations. A great example is the ability of music to lift the spirits of those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Another is how music has been used as a form of therapy for patients recovering from a traumatic brain injury by engaging their senses and helping get back some of the cognitive, sensory, and motor dysfunctions they have lost. But what I came across recently was truly unique: New-York Presbyterian Hospital recently released a playlist of popular songs on Spotify that can actually help with performing CPR!
A group of staff members at the hospital (we can guess hipsters) hand-picked a series of familiar tunes that help set the proper case and beat for performing CPR compressions. Whether you enjoy a classic rock tune (Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”), socially conscious soul (Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”), or if you can tolerate a bubblegum pop track you can never get out of your head (Hanson’s “MMMBop”), this amazing playlist provides 47 songs from various genres that move along at 100 BPM–the precise beat to perform CPR.
I highly recommend browsing the playlist and picking a few songs to tuck into your back pocket, in case you ever need to perform CPR. It’s the coolest first aid lesson you’ve ever had.
While you’re at it, have a look at the video linked in the story, also produced by the hospital, for a quick reminder on how to perform CPR correctly. If you’re planning on taking a CPR course in person, load some of the songs onto your phone and become the DJ of your class.
