Why do we love music so much? Among other things, we have always felt that music enabled us to relax after a hard days work. Just sit back and feel comfortable in a recliner or relax while going to the office in the morning. Yes, music has great relaxing effect on the human body and mind. And now experts are also agreeing. They say that music is great for stress relief, it relaxes us and eases the nerves. Stress relief music works for all, though not in the same way.
The hectic lifestyle that we all lead today has started to cost all of us dearly. The fact is, humans are not biologically tuned to the lifestyle that we are all leading today. The great level of stress that we have to go through has only been witnessed for the last 30 or 40 years. So since our bodies are not used to this, acute stress can cause it harm and even lead to physical and mental problems. But stress relief music can be a solution.
How do stress relief music work
There are many theories on this. Do not be surprised if you hear someone say that stress relief music reminds the human mind of a mother's heartbeat while at the womb. But there are many who do not agree to this view. But on one aspect almost everyone agrees ? stress relief music does create a deep impact on the subconscious mind of most people and calms them down.
But the same kind of music may not have the same effect on different people. So while using stress relief music, it becomes necessary to find the type of music that will work for the individual concerned. The wrong stress relief music type may end up actually causing more harm than good. The important thing is to understand what the person likes, his preferences and then play the type of music that will work.
Some experts feel that music, slower than the natural heart beat of a person, which is 72 beats a minute works well as stress relief music. Music with rhythms that repeat and sound monotonous also can calm the nerves.
Music can be used not only to calm a person down, but also to bring him out of a lull and make him active. Faster rhythms and music with beats can effectively make a person more active while the going is slow.
Stress relief music is emerging as a popular way to distress. Though we listen to some form of music almost daily, but when we do it consciously and listen to slower and more monotonous music, it can relax us and remove the stress from our bodies.
There is an old saying that goes "Music doth soothe the savage beast", or something to that effect. It turns out there is more truth to that adage than you might expect. Scientist, through extensive studies into brain wave management, have shown that certain frequencies can be combined to create stress relief music. Utilizing this technology, digital music makers have created CDs and MP3 libraries of music designed to provide health benefits including stress relief, improved sleep habits, and mental focus.
The mechanism behind the design of these digital stress relievers is the science of binaural beats.
What are binaural beats?
Experiments in audio stimulation and reaction have determined that when two different sounds of similar frequencies are sent one to each ear, the brain initiates a process called entrainment.
Entrainment is a phenomenon that occurs when the brain automatically adjusts itself to the two different frequencies being piped in, and essentially filters out the difference between the two frequencies to create a new differential frequency or "beat".
Practically speaking, if you play a tone of 250 cycles per second frequency in one ear and a tone of a 265 cycles per second frequency in the other, each tone will be processed by both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The brain reacts over time by creating a "phantom" frequency in an attempt to "smooth" out the difference between the 2 tones. This frequency (15 cycles per second in this example) is a binaural beat and the brain will adjust its wave output to match this frequency.
Brain wave ranges can dictate focus, mood, and level of relaxation.
Brain waves are nothing more than electromagnetic activity. This activity can be measured, as any other type of current, in increments of cycles per second. Extensive experimentation has established ranges scientists commonly use to define particular states of mind. When our brain waves, or electrical impulses, are being generated in these ranges, particular behaviors can be observed.
The wave range our brain exhibits in our normal day-to-day activities is called Beta. The Beta range occurs in the 15 cycles per second and up range. There is little deliberate organization in the mind in this state, and it is typically just running from one thought to the next. In daily life, this is the brain wave range that supports our multi-tasking oriented lifestyle.
The next level down is Alpha. Alpha waves are associated with a state of mind generally referred to as alert relaxation. The Alpha range is 8-14 cycles per second. This state is commonly exhibited in the minutes just before we wake or just before we fall asleep. It is also the pattern our brain exhibits when we are daydreaming or "dozing off".
As we move down the brain wave range the next classification is the Theta range. Theta, occurring at the 4-7 cycles per second range, is the brain wave level associated with dream activity, deep meditation, and REM sleep.
The bottom of the known spectrum is the Delta range, which occurs at brain wave rates less than 4 cycles per second. It is usually associated with deep, dreamless sleep and body healing and rejuvenation.
Through the use of designed sound combinations, selected binaural beats can be generated in our brains, placing us in a specific mental state. In addition to lowering ar raising brain wave frequency to relax or excite a listener, there are other more controversial, alleged uses for binaural beats. For example, it has been postulated that by using specific frequencies, an individual can stimulate certain glands to produce desired hormones. As an example, experiments have demonstrated that endorphins, commonly produced in the "runner's high" state of mind, can be generated by using specific combinations of binaural beats.
In other experimental uses, there are studies that show that learning time and sleep requirements can be reduced by introducing adults to a program of theta wave inducing music. Theta waves are thought to improve learning because children, who usually learn new concepts faster than adults, exhibit stronger theta wave patterns and typically maintain the healthy theta wave state for longer periods than their elders.
Binaural beats are now routinely used by therapists to help people reduce stress and improve mental clarity and focus. Progressive programs are also utilizing binaural beats to assist cancer patients deal with the effects of chemotherapy and other treatments. Binaural beats can also be used for meditation and self-hypnosis and to potentially alter selected behavioral patterns, including smoking and over-eating.
As the science around binaural beats advances, new uses are being discovered and more people are developing binaural beat recordings to achieve specific results. The potential benefits of the healing and rejuvenating powers of binaural beats include weight loss programming, attention deficit disorder therapies, and stress management applications. The benefits are just being tapped and the progress is very encouraging for the future of emotional and physical therapy.
Don't be surprised if you hear more and more about the medical profession embracing therapies involving the use of stress relief music and other binaural beat relaxation applications. Many people are taking advantage of these advances through the use of custom audio programs designed to induce a desired state of mind, to train the brain to better handle stress and anxiety, or to help the body heal and re-energize itself.
Both D Fraser & Jd Bell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
D Fraser has sinced written about articles on various topics from Distance Learning, Education and Golf Guide. For more information on relaxtion and winding down visit our website for recreation ideas and learn more relaxation techniques at. D Fraser's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
Jd Bell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness Program, Fitness and Keyboard Synthesizer. J.D. Bell is a former professional health and nutrition counselor. Find out more about the beneficial applications of binaural beats and. Jd Bell's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.