When you are looking for variation in your daily meditation, adding music to your routine can give you that change you crave. This change can build your resistance to stressful situations. Music can brighten your spirit, lift a bad mood, and even help regulate your breathing. Music can allow you to meditate deeper and it can improve not only your emotional health (depression and self-esteem) but your physical health (blood pressure, pain, heart rate).
A 2018 study in Health Psychology Review stated “Results of our meta-analysis show a medium effect of music interventions on psychological stress-related outcomes, including emotional states of subjective worry, state anxiety, restlessness, and nervousness. Music not only reduces physiological arousal but also affects emotional states.”
The Music Choice is Yours
Choose music that you enjoy but not one that will distract you from reflection. For example, you don’t want to blast exercise music that will make your heart pound. Classical music is beneficial for meditating. If you don’t like classical, find nature sounds you enjoy, like the wind, or a babbling brook. Other examples of music that people choose for meditating are chanting, new age, harp, piano, instrumental, or spa music.
Focus on Tranquility
Find you new music online or download apps to find songs that work for the peacefulness you seek. Sit on a yoga mat but if you don’t have one place a blanket on the floor or pick a cozy chair. Put your phone away, turn down the lights, and be drawn into the sounds. Relax. Slow your breathing or match it to the music. A slow tempo song or one with around 100 beats per minute to as low as 79 beats per minute can move you into a tranquil state of mind.
Revamp your meditation with music for a serene day.
