The Benefits of Music for Health
You don’t have to be musically inclined to receive the benefits of music. Simply listening to a favorite song or singing out loud can activate chemicals like dopamine and serotonin in our brains, and positively impact our cognition, emotions, motor control, and attention.
Including music in your self-care can result in all of the following:
- Positively impacted well-being
- Improved mood
- Decreased anxiety
- Better managed stress
- Motivated exercise and movement
- Regulated heart rate and breathing
Recommended Instruments
While any instrument that you choose to play or listen to can be a part of your self-care, we recommend the following for meditation and breath work.
3” Steel Tongue Drum
- Small and convenient
- Easy to play
- Inexpensive
5.5” Steel Tongue Drum
- Easy to play
12″ Ocean Drum
- Produces a sound like waves or a storm
Chimes
- Good for gardens
- Used for yoga
Each of the options above are relatively inexpensive and easily played. The sounds they produce are also pleasing even if you aren’t following a particular pattern or music sheet. Smaller instruments like the 3’’ Steel Tongue Drum are also simple to transport and can fit inside a purse.
Breathing exercises can help center yourself when you are feeling frustrated or or anxious. Music can help improve your mood, decrease anxiety, manage stress, and regulate your heart rate and breathing.
Breathing and Relaxing
Intentionally taking the time to focus on yourself can help you feel stronger mentally, emotionally, and physically.
One exercise that you can try is the Box Breathing Activity. It can be paired with music or done silently, and can be used when you’re stressed, anxious, or frustrated. It can also be done from anywhere.
Either before or after care, center yourself with this breathing pattern:
Inhale for 4
Hold for 4
Exhale for 4
Rest for 4
(Repeat)
These simple steps can calm you and add some peace to a difficult situation.
For anyone feeling overwhelmed with their life, taking some time for self-care can help center and calm you. Even something as simple as listening to a favorite song or singing out loud in the car can give you the moment of hope or happiness you need to care for yourself as well as others.
For more suggestions and expertise on self-care, reach out to our team at Homethrive by giving us a call at (844) 343-8714 (TTY 711)