MUSIC RESTORES SANITY

"I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. I get most joy in life out of music." ~ Albert Einstein 

You know how it is when you're trapped in a traffic jam and there's nowhere to go or stressed out of your mind without knowing what to do. There's nothing you can do except wait for it to clear up. Getting upset and stressing out the more only makes things worse. Thank goodness for the radio, or your collection of CDs, or the hookup to play your phone's music through the stereo. All it takes is a few minutes of listening to your favorite songs, and suddenly, puts you on a brighter mood and you feel like you can handle the situation. Your heart rate slows back down to normal, your muscles are more relaxed, and you're no longer gripping the steering wheel as if you're choking the life out of it or you probably pacing in your room or restless for no reason you can't say.

Music has seemingly magical calming effect properties for both the mind and the body. If you're a betting person, put your money on the latter. Listening to music impacts the reward and pleasure passage in the brain. Specifically, it may trigger the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter most closely associated with these feelings. This has profound implications for health and wellbeing, since listening to music is a non-toxic, non-invasive, and side-effect-free way to potentially boost mood, reduce anxiety, reduce subjective feelings of pain, and improve overall wellbeing. The effects of music on your body are not all in your head - depending on how you look at it, they are in your head or, rather, your brain. But don't underestimate the power of the central nervous system to influence the entire body. Studies have shown that listening to relaxing, pleasant music is effective for reducing pain and improving health. Emotions induced by enjoyable music have a cascade effect for physical wellbeing, and overall state of mind - Not only is music entertaining and relaxing, but it may also be able to help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, in effect soothing your soul and boosting your overall wellbeing. In fact, listening to music can come along with a wide range of mental health benefits, making it a useful tool when combatting depression or simply trying to reduce stress.

"Much like exercise, music has been shown to increase oxytocin and serotonin levels in your brain, both of which can be instant mood-boosters. Oxytocin is also referred to as the "love hormone," as it's associated with feelings of positive commitment, bonding, calmness and reduced anxiety. Similarly, serotonin is responsible for elevating your mood, improving sleep quality and boosting memory power."

Slow down, breath and listen to soothing vibes.