By Dalya Eichler
With seasonal depression not too far away and the ongoing challenges in Israel, I’ve realized the importance of having an outlet. How do we step away from it all in a healthy way? How do we cope? Recently, I’ve been using music as an outlet. I won’t allow myself to listen to heavy songs; instead, I choose uplifting music to balance out my emotions. Why does music affect us in this way? I’m not usually drawn to the sciences, but the way music physically affects the mind and body is something special. It allows the listener to disengage and connect with the beats and the melodies. The heart tends to mimic the beat, so slowing it down through music is a way to calm the body. Especially now, when dealing with so much stress, this could be really useful. Beyond that, music can also move you to keep on going. How’s that? Psychology Today researched the effects of music on the body, and found that music can distort one’s sense of time. That’s why grocery stores and waiting rooms use background music to help enable people to remain shopping or waiting longer. Reading this made me realize that when I need to take a break from social media, step away from the news, and do something else, something mindless, adding music has really helped. I assume this is the reason for why. I often find myself turning to music to help most situations. Easing emotions, helping me move, motivating me. It’s a universal experience, and there’s scientific evidence explaining why it works that way. Aside from all that, it’s beautiful. It is overall a really enjoyable experience to sit down and put on your favorite song and allow yourself to be transported. So if it’s a slow day, a sad day, or a day that just needs something extra, I recommend digging through your music archive and finding something to put on. Now, more than ever, we need a little something extra in our day-to-day life.
Here are some recommendations:
If you want playful music, listen to anything by AJR.
If you want something soulful, listen to Hozier.
If you want a good laugh, Bo Burnham is always my go to.
If you want something calming, listen to When It Rains by Mr. Popular.
If you want something indie, listen to Pleaser by the Wallows.
If you want something acoustic listen to Stick Season by Noah Kahan.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/music-therapy