Have you wondered why sometimes you just want to blast some good music on and sing or dance to it?
Or why do you love listening to sad songs when you are sad?
Or why do you have a workout playlist?
This is because songs are a great way to enhance our minds and even are known to give us instant relief. Songs can calm you down or motivate you. There are different genres of songs for different moods.
While listening to a song, it may feel like you are in a different world, where you can forget something that’s bothering you for a while.
Songs work great for stress. There are various songs to relieve stress that you can listen to when you feel tired or frustrated.
In this blog post we will dive into some of the most mind relaxing music for stress relief. Before that, let’s understand the concept of stress.
What is Stress?
According to the World Health Organization, stress is something that affects you physically, emotionally, and pathologically in the form of strain or discomfort.
Stress is a common body response if you are continuously emotionally, physically, or mentally exhausted. Stress is an indicator that you need rest. A proper way to calm yourself down to make you feel better is important to learn.
Sometimes experiencing a bit of stress helps you become more productive and energized. But constant stress may affect our mental and physical health, making it impossible for us to get up and maintain our life.
As you know, various ways might help you relieve stress, including music.
Music has a calming effect on your mind and body. The beats and the rhythm in any song can elevate your mind and make you feel light, energized, and happier.
How?
Let’s understand the relationship between music and the mind.
What is the link between the mind and music?
Can music reduce stress?
Let’s look at what credible research says to understand the relationship between mind and music.
According to research by Huei-Chuan Sung et al. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, music reduces stress, anxiety and agitation in older adults with dementia. The research initiated an innovative group music intervention with the help of percussion instruments with familiar music for 6 weeks, twice a week, for 30 minutes. This experiment reduced anxiety and improved the psychological well-being of older adults with dementia.
Also, according to the National Alliance Of Mental Illness, music benefits in curing depression, schizophrenia, and trauma by acting as a calming agent.
Let’s understand the neuroscience of music.
Two UCF professors, neuroscientist Kiminobu Sugaya and violinist Ayako Yonetani have tried to make students understand music and the brain. According to them, music affects different parts of your brain.
Frontal lobe: Being one of the most important parts of the brain responsible for thinking and decision-making, Sugaya says that listening to music can help you enhance frontal lobe functioning.
Temporal lobe: According to Yonetani, music affects both sides of this part of the brain, the left, and the right response, to process what we hear and affect our emotions accordingly.
Broca’s area: This area is about expressing the music that we are listening to. This area is responsible for proper speech. If someone plays a musical instrument, it may help in enhancing communication skills.
Amygdala: According to Yonetani, music can control fear and increase pleasure. This part helps in controlling emotions.
Hippocampus: This part helps in increasing memory power and regulating emotional responses. According to Yonetani, music may stimulate neurogenesis in the hippocampus, facilitating new neurons’ growth and enhancing memory.
So these were some of the effects of music on your brain. Music has been used as a way of therapy for a very long time. Although music has been used for therapy and healing since the time of Ancient Greece, the modern therapeutic use of music didn’t start until the 20th century, following the conclusion of World War II.
It has effectively reduced the effects of depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. This process of using music to help treat mental disorders is known as music therapy.
Let’s understand briefly about music therapy.
What is music therapy?
Stress relief music therapy aims to promote beneficial mood and general well-being changes by utilizing a person’s reactions and relationships with music. Music therapy may involve singing, dancing, playing any number of musical instruments, or simply listening to music.
Music has a strong psychological impact. Different musical genres can instantly change a person’s mood and aid in the experience and processing of a variety of emotions, including joy, enthusiasm, melancholy, tranquillity, and thinking.
Utilizing music’s potent therapeutic properties, stress relief therapy helps people feel better. It is an alternative to other therapeutic approaches like counseling or CBT (CBT).
The frontal lobes decipher the emotional impulses produced by the music, while a small fraction of the right temporal lobe aids in understanding pitch. The cerebellum handles rhythm.
When exposed to intense music, the nucleus accumbens can cause strong bodily sensations of enjoyment, such as goosebumps.
Music therapists work in private care, education, and social care, and numerous music therapy associations exist worldwide.
So you might be wondering about songs to relieve stress. We have curated a list of the best mind relaxing music for stress relief.
Listen to these top 13 songs to relieve stress
- Adele – “Someone Like You”
Adele’s “Someone Like You” made the list as well. Her voice is amazing, and her song may heal your broken heart by patching its pieces once again.
- Rue du Soleil (Café Del Mar) – “We Can Fly”
As you listen to “We Can Fly,” close your eyes and picture yourself on a beach. Do you sense the thundering waves or the sand between your toes? You can get there with the help of this music. Just sit back, unwind, and enjoy this tune.
- Mozart – “Canzonetta Sull’ariaso”
“Canzonetta Sull’aria” is considered the most tranquil work in classical music. It is a two-voice duet from the well-known opera “The Marriage of Figaro” that has been proven to enhance brain wave activity, which aids with memory and problem-solving.
- Barcelona – “Please Don’t Go”
This song is built on a piano tune, and because of the gentle, murmured the male voice, you may be reminded of Radiohead or Coldplay. On the other hand, its slow, peaceful chords and the meaning of its words may cause either a tear of melancholy or slumber depths never before experienced. Without a doubt, it’s yet another amazing Barcelona hit.
- DJ Shah – “Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix)”
Another one of the world’s most calming tracks is this one from DJ Shah’s Chill Out Mix. It is music that can help us control our heart rate. Yes, chillout mix. Perfect for unwinding at night.
- Enya – “Watermark”
If you prefer serene and tranquil music and Enya, this is the song we suggest you listen to. Enya might be the best one for you because of how soft, calming, and pleasant it is.
- Airstream – “Electra”
The electronic chillout music “Electra” has a pace that aligns with the ideal resting heart rate of 60 to 65 beats per minute. Other factors that have been shown to promote relaxation are the guitar, piano, and a leisurely rhythm.
- All Saints – “Pure Shores”
“Pure Shores” is a song by the English-Canadian girl group All Saints. “Pure Shores” can be the tune for you if you’re looking for a dreamy mood to help you forget about your concerns and worries. It has a very soothing tone and is ideal for relaxing.
- Marconi Union – “Weightless”
To compose “Weightless,” the group Marconi Union worked with sound therapists. Its meticulously constructed harmonies, rhythms, and bass lines assist in lowering cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate in listeners.
- Coldplay – “Strawberry Swing”
This song’s lighthearted tone, soothing instrumentals, and whispering vocals will truly help you relax and massage your nerves if you ever feel particularly stressed or unhappy.
- Saint-Saëns -“The Swan”
The Swan is a French composer Camille Saint-Saens’s composition for cello and piano. It is a small portion of a larger piece called The Carnival of the Animals and is only a few minutes long. It has a mellow, almost ambient sound that is quite soothing, and the legato piano playing that supports the cello contributes to developing this tone.
- Dolly Parton – “My Tennessee Mountain Home”
Another song with prominent lyrics is this one by American country music performer Dolly Parton. Acoustic guitar and harmonica are the two most noticeable instruments to accompany her vocals. The singer’s home in the US state of Tennessee is referenced in the lyrics.
- Maroon 5 -“Songs About Jane”
This collection of songs offers a good blend of energetic and relaxing tunes that are all musically well-composed. This is a wonderful collection of songs to put on while preparing and serving dinner, entertaining guests, or providing some relaxing background music as you go about your day. They have smooth vocals and a wonderful blend of orchestration.
Takeaway
These were some of the songs to relieve stress. Go and listen to them now. Music can give a soothing sensation to your body and mind. If you are stressed by work, you can take a 5 to 10 minutes break to listen to your favorite music. It will create a lot of difference in your work. You’ll be more productive and energized toward your work. Or if you are feeling lazy, bast in some active music with beats that will make you stand up and grove.
Similar to music, different fun therapy techniques can help you stay calm and relaxed and relieve stress. One such is art therapy. Click here to learn more about art therapy, how to practice it, and its benefits.
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