Music Can Reduce Stress And Help You Heal

Listening to your favorite music has more health benefits than you realize. Here is how music can reduce stress and help you heal.

When we forget our headphones that’s when we realize just how much we rely on music to help us through the day. Our favorite music seems capable of hyping us up before an important moment, calming us down when we feel upset.

But the question arises, is there actually any scientific explanation for this? As it turns out, yes!

Music has been widely studied and admired in human history for its ability to both entertain and heal. Numerous experts have explored how listening to music can potentially have therapeutic effects on a range of mental and physical health conditions, or just as a way to deal with everyday life.

Present-day research suggests music has significant power to help reduce stress and anxiety, relieve pain, and helps to improve focus among many more benefits.

How can listening to music reduce stress?

Stress

It is the feeling of emotional tension, overwhelming, or feeling unable to cope with what affects us mentally and physically.

Across time and space, music has had tremendous success as a tool for stress relief. While some types of music such as classical and ambient have long been studied for their calming effects, listening to your personal favorite music of any genre also has benefits.

A 2020 overview of research into music and stress suggests that listening to music can:

• lower your cortisol levels and heart rate
• Improve our sense of well-being and release endorphins.
• reduces physical and emotional stress levels

• Disease, improving quality of life.

 

Music as meditation

There are several types of mediation, and people use some types to help treat mental and physical health conditions.

Usually, meditation’s goal is to focus, center, calm, or direct your attention. It also helps to relax our bodies. So it can match well with music for some people.

Frequently, music used for meditation has a slow rhythm, which can reduce heart rate, and also lower anxiety and stress levels. Guided meditation includes music with lyrics that directs your energy flow and focus, or offers positive affirmations.

Music therapy

Music therapy is a bit different from just listening to music; however listening is a big part of it!

Music therapists work with different patients of all ages. Music therapy can include listening, playing, composing music, songwriting, among other activities. These “purposeful” interactions with music can help you work through your emotions or issues that are bothering you and encourage positive feelings.

Music to reduce anxiety

Anxiety, stress, and pain often come together. Music may be one of the ways to help manage them and the trouble they cause.

Some of the previously discussed research suggests, music can help reduce anxiety in both adults and children before and during medical procedures.

In one studyTrusted Source of over 950 critically ill patients, 30 minutes of music therapy a day was constantly associated with lower rates of anxiety and stress. Music has ability to decrease biological stress responses like heart rate and cortisol levels also helps to tackle anxiety.

Types of music better for reducing stress

Certain genres of music, like classical and ambient, are historically the subject of most research studies into music and stress. While there is evidence that they can reduce stress and anxiety, but that doesn’t mean that they are better than other genres of music.

We use different types of music for different purposes. We all have special relationships with our favorite songs and genres, we can use those to call on certain emotions and feelings unique to that relationship. For example:

• Classical music gives us a soothing and calming effect.
• Rap music can be inspiring and a source of motivation when in a low mood or dealing with difficult life circumstances.
• Heavy metal music can amplify identity development and help you become better adjusted.

 

Music listening and therapy have many benefits like:

• lowers stress and anxiety
• makes mood better
• reduces pain
• improves sleep