“How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand…”
Even a few lines of a song can touch us in a way that gives us an emotion to feel, a question to ask ourselves, a thought to think upon. Yet how can a track of 3-4 minutes give us so many mixed emotions sometimes all at once? It can give mental peace, relaxation and an opinion.
The Relationship Between Music, Mind & Emotions
Music has the ability to affect our emotions, intellect & psychology; it can assuage our loneliness or incite our passions. It can elevate our mood, motivate us and even increase the efficiency of our brain.
Listening to our favorite tracks and the kind of music we love can help reduce the stress level and can sometimes reduce the symptoms of depression. Good music can help people feel more in control and also lead to better sleep.
Many scientists say that listening to your favorite music acts on the pleasure center of our brain by releasing dopamine- a hormone that makes us feel good. Considering the connection between our emotions, mind, and music, it may be useful to incorporate some music into our everyday routine to help regulate our emotions.
Easy Ways To Connect Mind And Music
Well if you’re actually wishing for some mental peace through music, ‘Focus’ is a must and for that classical music is the winner. Music which has a tempo of 60bpm increases the efficiency of the brain in processing the information. The best way to use it is to have it playing softly in the background as you get on with your tasks.
Music can also be a wonderful companion and can prevent you from feeling lonely or isolated. Whether it’s sharing playlists with your friends or meeting new like-minded people at your favorite band’s next gig, music connects people. As brain activity is a very individualized concept with many of the musical excerpts having certain effects based on individuals’ past life experiences, thus this caveat should be kept in mind when generalizing findings across individuals.
Music As Therapy: A Soulful Adventure
Music therapy is used in some medical hospitals, cancer centers, schools, alcohol & drug recovery programs, psychiatric hospitals, and correctional facilities. Some common music therapy practices include development work with individuals with special needs, songwriting & listening in reminiscence, orientation work with the elderly, processing & relaxation work, and rhythmic entrainment for physical rehabilitation in stroke victims.
There are two fundamental types of music therapy: receptive music therapy & active music therapy.
1) Receptive Music Therapy
Receptive music therapy involves listening to recorded or live music selected by a therapist. It can improve mood, reduce stress, pain, and anxiety; and enhance relaxation. Although it doesn’t directly cure the disease, it can strengthen the coping skills to fight the disease.
2) Active Music Therapy
In active music therapy, patients engage in some form of music-making, either by singing or playing instruments. Another example of active music therapy takes place in a nursing home in Japan, where therapists teach the elderly how to play easy to use instruments so they can overcome physical difficulties.
Looking For Some Recommendations- What To Listen Just After You Finish Reading This?
Listing down some tracks in Hindi & English- these music recommendations are great and a few favorites from my playlist, which help me relax and reduce stress.
1. Kalga – Aswekeepsearching
2. Nahi Milta – Bayaan
3. Reminiscence – Aswekeepsearching
4. Loneliness (Night Talking) – Arcade Fire
5. Sapna Jahan – Brothers (2015)
6. Ayahuasca – Vancouver Sleep Clinic
7. Collapse – Vancouver Sleep Clinic
8. Udaan Theme – Udaan (2010)
9. Sometime Somewhere – Aswekeepsearching
10. Marijuana – Shamoon Ismail
