Everyone has a favourite genre of music they listen to for various reasons. Even if you can’t carry a tune for the sake of your favourite artists, you still sing out loud when you hear that one song that reminds you of your happier days, which has a major effect on one’s mood.
Sound and music therapies have been used in the past as a popular way of relaxing and for improving one’s health. It has been long mentioned that the Indigenous people have used music to enhance well-being, induce relaxation, and restore one's health.
Music therapy has become a vast growing field. Music Therapy is performed with a professional that has been trained in music, psychology, and medicine. A trained therapist uses a program to help a person cope with anxiety, stress, traumatic events and other health issues. Music Therapists are people who have a deep knowledge and understanding of how music can create an emotional response to relax, calm and heal people. They also combine that knowledge in music with a deeper understanding in the different musical styles that can help people get through a challenging time or guide you into meditation.
Looking for additional ways to cope with anxiety is never a bad idea; different things trigger one’s anxiety. That’s the same way different methods can be used to deal with anxiety. A recent paper out of Harvard and Stanford found health issues from job stress alone cause more deaths than diabetes, Alzheimer's, or influenza. Hence the emphasis on body and mind rest to restore a physical and mental balance.
If you want your body and mind to stay healthy, you have to prioritize giving them all the rest you can. Music is one of the easiest ways to take some of the pressure off of all things that can easily spike your stress level and leave you feeling drained and anxious.
Some Songs To Get You Going
Weightless by Marconi Union. This song was specifically designed to induce this highly relaxed state. Created by Marconi Union, the musicians teamed up with sound therapists to carefully arrange harmonies, rhythms and bass lines, which in turn slow a listener’s heart rate and blood pressure, while also lowering stress hormones like cortisol. The Creation of the Ultimate Anti-Stress Music Researchers at Mindlab International in the U.K. wanted to know what kind of music induces the greatest state of relaxation. The study involved having participants try to solve difficult puzzles, which inherently triggered a certain degree of stress, while connected to sensors. At the same time, participants listened to a range of songs as researchers measured their brain activity, heart rate, blood pressure and rate of breathing. What they found is that one song “Weightless” calmed the players involved by 65%. Note: this could work for some and not others.
True Colors by Cyndi Lauper
Sunday Morning by Maroon 5
I won't give up by Jason Mraz
Superheroes by The Script
1-800-273-8255 by Logic, Alessia Cara, and DJ Khalid
Livin on a prayer by Bon Jovi
Gravity by John Mayer
“Try” by Colbie Caillat
Watermark by Enya
Walking on sunshine by Katrina & The Waves
Happy by Pharrell
Oceans by Hillsong
I feel Good by James Brown
Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars
Sources:
Harvard Health Publishing: "How music can help you heal" (2016). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-music-can-help-you-heal