Research has shown that music can be a great resource for therapy. Music therapy is often used for emotional and mental health and has even been linked to improving the quality of life for people with physical problems. Music therapists have a wide range of training usually involving music, clinical skills, communication, cognitive neuroscience, psychological disorders, chronic illness, and pain management. A music therapy session can include listening to music, writing songs, or making music.
Depending on your therapy session, you may rely on making music or listening to music. Making music provides an opportunity for you to express your emotions without words. If you are frustrated you may play or sing more loudly and quickly. Your therapist may try to help manage these emotions by encouraging you to play more slowly and use more soothing tones and tunes. Research has shown that heart rate changes along with the volume and tempo of your environment. Making or listening to music that is soft and soothing will help mitigate negative emotions and boost your mood.
Reviews have shown that music therapy can be a great method for treating depression paired with usual treatments. It is thought that music therapy can help reduce obsessive thoughts, depression, and anxiety.
Many people rely on white noise or music to help sleep. This method of sleep therapy involving music is much less intrusive and affordable than other intervention methods. Furthermore, it allows for you to implement it yourself, unlike many other methods. Techniques such as music-assisted relaxation have been shown to create a “pre-sleep” state that helps soothe you to get to sleep.
Music therapy has been shown to lower pain levels, anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure. Music can be a great tool to keep in mind in regards to chronic pain. Music has a very strong connection to memory processing which can allow for people to remember past times and happy memories, often without their pain, they are currently experiencing. This can help you take your mind off of your pain and improve your overall mood.
Music can be a fantastic resource to explore for boosting your mental and emotional health and as a tool for pain management. Unlike many other therapies, it can be conducted on your own time for low or no cost and is noninvasive. Music therapy could be a new hobby to explore and a great way to connect with others while enjoying the benefits of it.
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