Welcome back, I hope that through all of the challenges you have tried from the past weeks and the information I have provided has helped you get an idea of what stress relieving methods work best for you. This is my final blog, so I hope that if nothing has worked well for you yet that this will because no one can resist music. Music is ultimately one of the best stress relievers. Besides, have you ever met someone that didn´t enjoy listening to music? There is so many different types to please everyone´s interests and mood. I listen to all sorts of music depending on how I´m feeling; I have different music playlists for when I´m depressed, angry, chilling, or energetic. It allows me to express my emotions and usually calms me down or elevates my mood.
Music is cheap and easy to access. You can even make your own music with instruments, your voice, or even making a beat with your hands and feet. With the advanced technology we have today, listening to music can be done almost anywhere at any time. There are many apps you can download on your phone that let you listen to the music of your choice with or without a paid subscription.
Even better, you can listen to music while exercising or meditating and double your stress relieving!
Slow music like jazz and classical have a calming affect on our bodies. It slows heart rate, blood pressure, and release of stress hormones. It relaxes your muscles making your body feel more calm and soothed as well. Faster music can make you more alert and able to concentrate better. Upbeat music can help you feel more optimistic about your life and overall happier. Researchers at Stanford University have said that "listening to music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication."
Music can also be a distraction from the stressors in your life. It keeps your mind thinking about and prevents wandering. If your mind is focused on the music, it will help prevent overthinking and self doubt.
Clearly everyone has different tastes, but there are so many types of music to please everyone. The most important key to relieving stress through music is finding what you like. Don´t listen to rap music just because someone else likes it. Not a lot of people agree with me, but I think country is the best kind of music. There is party music I want to get up and dance to, sad music that I want to cry to, and romantic music that makes me smile. You dont have to take any advice I have about that though; just figure out what works for you.
Weekly challenge: Listen to music in your daily routine activities. When you are driving, taking a shower, brushing your teeth, or doing the dishes, turn on some music. You could listen to upbeat and fast music to make you feel more energetic, or you could listen to slower music to make you feel more relaxed. Either way, both types of music and responses positively impact your stress levels. Listening to music throughout your daily routine can help keep you busy and make your day seem a little bit more interesting. It is an easy way to reduce stress without taking time out of your day.