People often listen to music every day but less people know that music has special effects on our mood. It has a special connection to our emotions, so can be an effective stress management tool.
Listening to music can have a greatly relaxing effect on our minds and bodies, particularly slow, quiet classical music. This kind of music can have a beneficial effect on our physiological functions, slowing the rhythm and heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the levels of stress hormones. Listening to classical music can relieve anxiety and help you relax. Slow music helps calm your breathing and heart rate, ease your mind and soothe physical tension.
Because music can absorb our attention, it acts as a distraction at the same time it helps to experience emotions. This means it can be a great assist to meditation, helping to prevent the mind wandering.
Musical preference varies widely between individuals, so only you can make a decision what you like and what is suitable for each mood. However, even if you don’t usually listen to classical music it may be worth giving it a try when selecting the most calming music.
When people are stressed, there is a tendency to avoid actively listening to music. Perhaps it feels like a waste of time, not helping to achieve anything. But as you may know, productivity raises when stress is reduced, so this is another area where you should gain great rewards. It just takes a little effort to start with.
To incorporate music into a busy life, try playing CDs in the car, or put the radio on when having a bath or shower. Take portable music with you when walking the dog, or put the stereo on rather than the TV.
Singing (or shouting) along can also be a great release of tension, and karaoke is very enjoyable for some people. Calming music before bedtime creats peace and relaxation and helps to induce sleep.
- Determine what type of music helps you to relax. Music can be incredibly personal, and different people will find different music relaxing. For example, one individual may relax listening to the most popular song on the radio, and for someone else classical music may be the only type of music that causes him to relax. Therefore, listen to several music styles to determine what type of music can makes you slow down and relax.
- Create a playlist or CD of your favorite relaxation music. Play the music when you start to feel stressed. Whether you will be listening at work or home, make sure you have relaxing music you like most to listen to when you begin to feel stress.
- Take a walk while you listen to the music, or relax in a chair. When you listen to the music, focus on your breathing and try to ease the mind of all negative thoughts and feelings. You can try to sing along the lyric of the songs, it is one way to help you release tension, just follow the lyric and melody of the song.
- Use headphones. Headphones will help you block out ambient noise and focus solely on your music. It is the easiest way to release your stress for anyone.