“Music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears – it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear.”
Oliver Sacks, physician, best-selling author, and professor of neurology.
For centuries, music has been used to express emotions. From sorrow to joy, nearly every human emotion can be communicated or experienced through music. Music therapy is also a rapidly growing field wherein patients create music or passively engage with it to help with their anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. It is one of the most effective non-invasive techniques that researchers and professionals have found to treat and support people’s overall well-being.
In this installment of Self-care Month, we explore our spiritual connection to music with Karanvir Singh (who goes by his alter ego Kerano), a DJ, record producer, and founder of Kamp1 School Of Music. He talks to us about how self-care for him is related to his craft. We’ve also put together a list of proven benefits of listening to music for our holistic wellbeing.
Does creating music feel like a form of self-care to you?
Kerano: My relationship with sound and the creation of music has been the most important form of self-care for as long as I can remember. Within the creation of music, there is a form of meditation, for those who go deep enough.
How can listening to music become a part of a daily self-care ritual?
Kerano: Curating playlists that don’t necessarily have known songs, but rather, pieces of music that could be left on loop, is a great way to have a soundscape to get you through your day.
How can our community approach the soundscapes you have created for us?
Kerano: The soundscapes are pieces of music, rather than songs. We perceive a song to have a defined start and end. But with a piece of music, there are no real rules. So I would want the 82°E community to approach these pieces as reset or rejuvenate buttons for days when they are running out of juice
The Holistic Benefits of Listening to Music
Improves Cognitive Performance: Background music, while working on some activity, improves the cognitive performance of adults. Studies suggest that upbeat music improves processing speed, and relaxing background music improves memory.
Reduces Stress: Several researchers have proven that listening to music helps to cope and manage stress. Mediative music, including sounds of nature, piano, and string instruments, soothe and relax agitated minds.
Improved Sleep Quality: Several studies have concluded that people who listen to music have significantly healthier sleep quality than those who don't listen to music or audiobooks.
Better Physical Activity: Listening to fast-paced songs or music boosts the exercise performance in terms of duration, speed, distance covered, and power exerted. Slow music, conversely, leads to a decrease in exercise performance.
Managing Depression and Anxiety: Music therapy is an experimental, low-risk, and safe treatment for managing depression, anxiety, and a host of other mental disorders.
