Calmness from sound – Healthy mind from Music Therapy
Music is the language of expression. We express our emotions in different forms such as crying, happiness, anger, jealousy, etc. But they need a medium to break out of our emotional shell and music is one of them. It is a therapeutic way of dealing with blunted emotions.
It relieves us from:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Obsessive thoughts
It helps us gain:
- Confidence
- Bliss
- Affinity
Music as a therapy has been adopted by professionals long ago. It proved to reduce blood pressure, decrease muscle tension and heart rate. Also, the negative effects of stress that creates emotional and behavioural problems are minimised.
It connects people and introduces mood changes. Different styles of music affect people differently. They experience excitement, calmness, thoughtfulness, sadness, and a range of emotions.
The aspects of music includes pitch, tempo, and melody and our brain reacts distinctively to it. For instance, the cerebellum stores rhythm, frontal lobes decode the emotional cues, and the temporal lobe helps us understand the pitch.
How can it benefit us?
It is beneficial for everyone. One need not be a music professional or have to do a course to practice it for relaxation. Here are a few activities to adopt for comfort:
- Sing a song: It is scientifically proven that the brain heals damaged tissue while you sing. Singing acts as a vitamin for the brain.
- Play an instrument: Choose any instrument like guitar, drum, etc. and have a sing-along. It will reduce stress and brighten up the mood.
- Switch on the speaker: If you don’t want to restrict the music to yourself and feel that the environment around is dull; start on the speakers. Let everyone be a part of it and engage in light-hearted fun.
- Be active, not passive: An active listener is the one who sings with the tunes while a passive listener only listens. Choose to be a participant because it will enable you to activate the mind and attain a peaceful state.
Music promotes healthy mental functioning and gives us strength to face the most difficult emotions in adverse situations. Its a key to self-exploration.
As said by Charlie Parker,
” Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn.”
Written by Deepti Khatkar
