HOUSTON From Nicki Minaj to Mozart, new research shows the music you love could impact your health.

Most people find music as a motivator.

People love their music when it s time to hit the jogging trail at Memorial Park. They tune in to all kinds. It appears whatever they re listening to, they listen to it often, and that isn t necessarily a bad thing.

New research finds music has more health benefits than you might realize. It can relieve anxiety, increase memory, ease pain, relieve depression and fight addiction.

Music can influence your behavior, your thinking, your emotion, says Dr. Galina Mindlin, a psychiatry professor and author of Your Playlist Can Change Your Life.

The book says studies show that --just like sex, drugs or great food --music causes the brain to release chemicals, like dopamine, that are key to addiction and motivation. It affects your brain waves and blood chemistry.

The authors recommend making a healthy playlist. First, start by picking your favorite songs, then figure out how many beats they have per minute.

Norah Jones single, Turn Me On has 56 beats per minute and Michael Jackson s Beat It has 139.

When you figure out which beats work best in different situations, ingrain them in your memory. Then make task-oriented playlists. Fewer beats are good for driving, while more beats can help you while you exercise or work.

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