Music therapy is a type of expressive therapy that includes a large variety of activities related to music, such as singing, improvisation, moving around, playing musical instruments, and listening to music. It has been shown to have positive physical, social and psychological effects.
Often different types of music are used for different reasons in music therapy. For example, rock music may cause discomfort for some and it is believed that it helps increase one’s ability to tolerate pain. Therefore, it is often used for people with chronic pain, according to Psychology Today. On the other hand, classical music has been found to increase relaxation. This type of music is often used to help patients learn to deal with stress.
The role of music therapy in relaxation
Listening to music can help relieve stress and anxiety, and it may also improve mood and aid overall well-being. When the body is tired, it may feel tense and upset. Listening to music also helps facilitate relaxation. In fact, music therapy is often used in combination with progressive muscle relaxation to reduce anxiety.
Progressive muscle relaxation involves relaxing the muscles through a two-step process; First, you systematically relax the various muscles in your body and then you relax every other muscle, focusing on how you feel when the muscles are relaxed. This type of therapy is combined with music therapy to help people with anxiety learn to relax.
Most of us would agree that music can be relaxing, so how can relaxation be promoted with music therapy? Music can relax tense muscles, when you allow your muscles to relax and relax your body, your mind relaxes too. Music is fun and simple, and it can reduce all stress, worries, and stress that you might not be aware of.
Listening to music can also enhance other stress-relieving activities. For example, it can help with yoga or self-hypnosis. In other words, music can enhance the stress-relieving properties of other relaxing activities, and music can help the brain reach a meditative state, and this promotes relaxation.