Are Your Nerves Fried?

Benefits of Listening to Soothing Music

Time spent listening to relaxing music is one the top activities you can do when it comes to stress release. Research findings suggest that listening to music can improve mental well-being in astonishingly surprising ways. Music has the ability to make you feel peaceful and healthy. Music can be a very effective stress-management tool and can have a soothing effect on your mind and body. Slow and quiet music can have been shown to have an effect of slowing the heart rate, creating ease within. It helps in lowering blood pressure and decreasing the levels of stress hormones thus leaving you feeling healthy. So, how does music work to relieve stress?

Increased Levels of Positive Hormones

A number of studies suggest that listening to relaxing music increases the levels of serotonin and other positive hormones. Experts regard serotonin as the ‘happy’ neurotransmitter. It provides the body with better sleep, mood, and learning abilities. Another neurotransmitter released when you listen to music is dopamine. This hormone makes you feel happy, joyful, excited, and peaceful. The combination of these two hormones can help you handle challenges in your life with more ease. This makes listening to soothing music is a great alternative to bring more joy and happiness into your life.

“Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here!” ~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

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Production of Stress-Relief Hormones

In the human body, the hormone cortisol is known to have great stress-relief capabilities. Listening to music helps in the release of cortisol thus helping counteract the effects of chronic stress. By listening to relaxing music it can help you disconnect from the world for a while and zone out. When you’re are able to reduce your stress this way, it’ll give your brain the opportunity to boost your cognitive functions and improve your memory.

Helping You Sleep Better

One of the known causes of stress is the lack of a good night’s sleep. So if you are among the huge number of people who suffer from lack of sleep or insomnia, listening to soothing music before falling asleep could just be the thing you need.
One research study observed students with poor sleep habits. These students were studied in three separate groups, one listened to relaxing classical music, the next listened to audiobooks and the last did nothing before falling asleep at night. Those who listened to classical music for 45 minutes before going to bed slept better than the other two control groups.

Next time you’re getting ready for bed and your brain kicks into overdrive; thinking about all the things your need to get done, thinking about how stressful tomorrow is going to be or you have to watch to next episode on Netflix. Throw on a pair of earbuds and lull yourself with some soothing music.

Here are some of my favorites that I use when giving massages, the client’s seem to drift off well with these:

Itunes Music:

Amazon Music:

Taoist Winds by Paul Jensen Bread of Angels by Stanton Lanier

Zuzu’s Petals by Will Ackerman River of Sky by Jami Sieber

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Music Acts as a Distractor

Music can really absorb your attention and act as a distraction from any negative emotions you might be feeling. The soothing sounds allow you to drift away from your hectic day, the chatter in your mind and the chaos around you. Since relaxing music can prevent your mind from wandering unnecessarily, this will give you time to relax and rejuvenate, and prepare for future events.
By using music to improve your day when things seem to fall apart, may help to put things back together again. It’s can help your body physically and mentally to calm down, so you can once again refocus on what’s really important in your life.

References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20013543
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18426457