Can Music Therapy Help Reduce Stress and Anxiety?
In the hustle and bustle of today’s world, stress and anxiety have become a part of life for many. In search of peace of mind and tranquility, people turn to various methods like meditation, therapy, or exercise.
But one powerful remedy has been emerging in the last few years – Music Therapy.
But can music therapy help you reduce your stress and anxiety? The answer is yes! And here’s why.
1. What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is a clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to achieve individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship. This can be done with the help of an expert music professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.
Yes, this means more than simply being thrilled when your favorite song comes on the radio - the therapeutic methods involving music may include, but are not limited to, playing an instrument or singing, composing, or discussing lyrics designed to promote mental and emotional health.
This therapy has been established scientifically to help people with a variety of issues - from stress and anxiety to depression and even chronic pain.
It is very effective as music has the unique quality of being able to reach our emotions and affect our brain’s chemistry.
2. The Science Behind Music and Stress Reduction
Music is not just an art we enjoy; our brain reacts to music in many ways. For example, when we listen to music, especially calming and soothing music, we produce a neurotransmitter called “dopamine.”
This is known as the “feel-good chemical” that our brains release, and it’s majorly responsible for our “good” moods, which could lead to better peace of mind.
Also, it can help decrease the levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. High cortisol levels can lead to numerous health issues, such as excessive weight gain, anxiety disorders, or even heart disease.
Music therapy decreases cortisol, which in turn helps your body relax and relieve stress-induced symptoms.
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3. How Does Music Therapy Work for Anxiety?
Anxiety, like stress, is often caused by an overactive mind or a mind that won’t stop racing. Music therapy helps to quiet the mind naturally. But how? Let us see.
a. Distracts You
One of the first things music does is take your mind off of what’s stressing you out. If you’re in a constant state of worrying and can’t put your mind on anything, music gives you something else to think about for a while.
b. Emotional Release
Music opens the floodgates of emotion we didn’t even realize we had. Equally upbeat, positive tempos are an outlet for good feelings and joy from within that need some expression.
c. Breath Control and Relaxation
Certain types of music, particularly slower tempos and classical songs, can affect your breathing. By matching your breath to the rhythm of relaxing music, you naturally slow your breath down. Slower breathing calms you down and reduces stress.
d. Connection and Support
In a therapeutic sense, you find when you’re doing music therapy in a group or even one-to-one, you don’t feel as isolated. And that isolation works on a different level, like building mental stability in terms of stress and anxiety.
4. Real-Life Applications of Music Therapy
The question that comes here is - how is this implemented in practice?
Music therapy is adopted in various environments, including hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, and even at home.
For example, music therapy is often used by hospitals to help their patients suffering from chronic pain or going through major surgery. When helped with calming their nerves and reducing their stress levels, these patients experience less pain and quicker recovery.
In mental health clinics, music therapy is frequently incorporated into a patient’s overall treatment plan. People with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health disorders can more easily self-manage symptoms and avoid unhealthy drug and behavior addictions when they include music in their recovery.
Even regularly, everyday people (like you and I) can use music therapy to help keep us sane amid the stresses of work, relationships, or just life in general.
Seriously, it’s as easy as dedicating a few quiet minutes each day to some calming tunes. If you need something more hardcore, you can find a music therapist who will guide you through therapy techniques specifically designed for your needs.
5. The Types of Music that Help
Some types of music can calm a person down when they are stressed or anxious, but they do not all work in the same way.
A plausible explanation may be the fact that while some genres can soothe the mind, others may incite it.
So, what specific types of music are most effective for reducing stress and anxiety?
a. Classical Music
Known as the most relaxing music genre, classical music is serene and most soothing by nature. Slow-tempo compositions with sounds of nature help to calm the heart rate and ease away the stress from an exhausting day at work.
b. Nature Sounds
It is the kind of music that has natural elements such as rainfall, ocean waves, or birdsongs also incorporated in it that serve to anchor you and thus make you feel more connected to the ground and less stressed.
c. Instrumental music
Music without lyrics, whether it’s jazz, ambient sounds, or classical piano melodies, creates a soundscape that eases you into relaxation and keeps your mind focused on the rhythms and melody of the music.
d. Meditation Music
Soft, steady sounds often dominate meditation music that is specifically created to calm the mind, assist relaxation, and lead one into a meditative state.
6. How You Can Incorporate Music Therapy into Your Life?
You don't need to go anywhere else to see the benefits of music therapy. These are the approaches you might apply in your daily life for stress and anxiety management.
a. Create a Calm Playlist
Put on a collection of the songs that you find soothing or relaxing in your playlist. It will be helpful when you feel stressed after a busy day.
b. Mindful Listening Practice?
Don’t just let music be one more background noise in your life. Pay attention to the melody, rhythm, and musical instruments. Allow the beat to be a guide for your breath and your mind’s focus.
No matter how talented you are, if you are musically inclined, playing an instrument can be one of the best ways to relieve stress.
It also provides a way for you to let out your emotions, concentrate on doing something useful, and disconnect from all those things that cause stress.
7. Conclusion
Music therapy is not something that just makes you feel better; it is an established way of fighting stress and anxiety. In every area, the psychological and emotional advantages of music are numerous, starting from changing the subject and extending to enhancing emotional outbursts. Whether it is through using the services of a professional music therapist or by just adding more music to your routine, the stress and anxiety tool is a powerful one.
Join the Spardha School of Music now and explore the engaging world of music now!
