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Music affects us all. How often have you used music to uplift you or take the edge off a bad day? Ask anyone who specializes in biological psychiatry.
The American Music Therapy Organization says that there is a link between music, moods and emotions. Music therapists, who have been researching the links between music and the mind, believe that listening to music actually can alter how our brains and bodies function.
“Music taps into your emotional responses at a fundamental level. This holds in particular for classical music because good classical music is designed to convey emotions and images in a way that other media do not, tapping into the emotional core of human beings at a fundamental level. Putting on the right piece of music has the ability to let go of stresses and worries much more easily, which allows you to focus on the task at hand, be it work or relaxation.
Some people will listen to a wide range of music depending on the occasion. For example, when some people are working and when they need to focus on a project, jazz might be a good choice.This is the type of music that doesn’t interfere with your thought process.
If you’re pulling an all-nighter on a project, you may want to try to listen to New Age music. When you need to be creative or when you’re starting a project from scratch, instrumentals may allow you to concentrate more. You don’t want to listen to something that you’ll start to sing along with. That could disrupt your thought process.
When you’re doing mundane tasks like filing, swing music is often the best. You must have music for that to prevent boredom!
There is a difference in your mood when you work or relax with music as opposed to working or relaxing in an environment without music. Every situation is different, but in a work environment, listening to some type of music does make a difference in your work performance.
For music to energize you, some people will opt for a faster, upbeat tempo. Contemporary music such as rock is many people’s choice to get them going. However, when you’re looking to get motivated to do some writing, or trying to decide what to teach on class on a given night, some may choose classical music, particularly large-scale symphonic works with lots of brass. This sort of music creates a vivid and colorful backdrop for your work that taps into your imagination and inspiration.
What type of music should you listen to?
The American Fitness Journal offers these tips:
- Listen to fast-paced, comfortably loud and lively music to wake up in the morning, recharge during the day or exercise.
- Listen to music with a slow and continuous tempo to relax after a stressful day, stretch after a workout, slow your eating pace or soothe yourself to sleep.
- Listen to up-tempo music with a pleasing melody to alleviate depression, anxiety, negative thoughts or improve self-confidence.
- Listen to loud music with a heavy beat to discharge anger, aggression or negativity.
Most people already have a collection of music they love to listen to. Download the songs to your smartphone or stream music on your favorite streaming channel. Listening to the right music can have a tremendous impact on your outlook on any given day.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
