How Nature Music Can Help You To Relax And Sleep
Even if you aren’t one for the fancier things in life, chances are you’ve heard about the benefits of music. Whether it’s from your cousin who plays the guitar and can only sing to it or from your friend who spends hours listening to their favorite playlist before going to bed; music has a magical effect on our brains.
As much as we may not want to admit it, our brain is constantly working at all times.
Researchers have found that even when we don’t realize it, there are constant patterns running through our thoughts and actions, giving us new insight into how the human mind works. In other words, just by listening to or thinking about something, that thing starts acting on our brain – creating new neural pathways and altering existing ones. This is why music has such a profound impact on us; the patterns in different kinds of soothing music enter our subconscious faster than others do because they mimic the same processes natural sounds do naturally.
For example, if you listen to someone playing an acoustic guitar or singing for instance, this triggers similar neural pathways in your brain as hearing natural sounds like birds chirping or water rushing – which encourages relaxation and sleep. And just like with anything else in life, relaxation and sleep go hand-in-hand — so much so that not getting enough of either can leave you feeling worn out and stressed out later on.
Singing a song
One of the best ways to relax and take a break is by singing a single song. Because your mind is taking in the whole song, it’s able to release stress and tension more quickly than if you were just relaxing with the instrumental version of it. The melody in this type of music helps to drown out distracting thoughts, leading you into a calm state where nothing else matters but what you’re doing at that moment. Additionally, singing puts your focus on one thing at a time; as your voice can’t be replaced by anything else, this allows you to stop worrying about other things going on around you. In fact, research has shown that when we sing along with music, our brains release oxytocin (the “feel-good hormone”) – which helps us connect with others and feel more content.
Playing An Instrument
Playing an instrument is another way to reap the benefits of music. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that playing music has also been proven to reduce stress levels and anxiety because it helps you escape from stressful or unpleasant events. It’s also been shown that playing instruments can increase overall mood and may even keep depressive symptoms at bay. For example, one study showed that people with depression were more likely to recover with the help of music therapy when compared to those who used other types of therapy like talking or psychotherapy.
Nature Sounds
As technology continues to advance, so does the availability of new and improved ways to relax and sleep. Personally, I’ve found that nature sounds have been a great way for me to unwind in my own home. Whether it’s the sound of waves crashing, rainfall, or even just the wind blowing; these sounds help me drift off into a relaxed state of mind. And because natural sounds are generally less distracting than other types of music, they can be used as a tool in place of more complex methods like meditation or yoga. Myself personally find that listening to nature sounds helps me fall asleep much easier than other methods. Because I know how quickly my mind starts going when I get too stressed thinking about work or family problems, I find it much easier to just put on some relaxing music instead. With nature sounds, you can lend yourself some peace and quiet whenever you need it with no hassle at all.
Below, a YouTube channel I use for relaxing nature sounds.