Some of the benefits that were found through the use of music as therapy... or simply, "through the use of the right music":
Reduced level of stress
Reduced sleeping problems
Better sleep quality
Improved healing and repair of the body
Reduced level of irritability, emotional outburst, anxiety
Better regulated blood pressure
Reduced frequency and severity of headaches
Improved concentration, memory and imagination
Regulation of autonomic nervous system and many more other health benefits
Some ideas that can help: choose "sattvic" music in a style you prefer · find your special place to relax · look for inspirational tracks · pick songs that cling with your soul · don’t let it get too loud · accompany the music with relaxed deep breathing · use candles, incense, aromatherapy or any other elements you enjoy, to create harmony · finish with a warm relaxing cup of tea… or just a deep sleep · remain in a place of self-gratitude.
Music Healing in Vedic Age:
Music is something that has had its share of history since the Vedic age. Music is considered to be a harmonic combination of sound and silence that is found in a certain pattern. There is basically a structure in all forms of music which depends on the scale and type of music that produces these notes with a scale and rhythm. And in this music, the listener finds its meaning that gives life to music and thus helps in the healing process. Since Ayurveda, all the cultures across the world have understood the meaning and power of music. Music tends to soothe and relax, and this is what helps in healing any emotional and physical health condition. Today, research has shown that using music to help in healing is a form of music therapy and healing. However, it was long since the advent of Ayurveda, that music has been proven to be quite effective in helping in healing. The increasing workloads of today tend to make people stressed; and together with this, you find numerous illnesses like a reduction in immunity, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, an irritable bowel syndrome and depression. Numerous studies have proven that some types of music tend to relax a person, and in the process, re-energize them. And keeping this in mind, the Heart Math Institute of California has created some tools and music that help to heal the nervous system and increase the immunity of the body. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, great Indian Carnatic music genius has proven that ‘Shankarabharanam’ helps in curing mental illness, “Bilahari” is useful in reducing stomach problems while ‘Ananda Bhairavi’ is effective in healing hypertension. Some ragas of Hindustani music like Bhairavi, Hindol, Lalit and Pooriya are effective in healing disorders like arthritis, grief and blood pressure. The reason music can help in healing is because of the resonance found in them. Many instruments have cavities that produce resonations and reverberation of music. Ayurvedic science has proven that the human body is such a cavity where some frequencies tend to enter the body, and thus release some chemicals that tend to control emotions. As the music resonates in the body, one tends to get excited, creative, move with the music or sometimes, become reflective, relaxed and quiet. It has also been found that music is rather effective in healing burn cases and cancer patients as burn victims don’t feel the pain when changing their dressing. Cancer patients tend to have lowered stress hormones, and stronger immune system after listening to music. It is the music that has been around since the Vedic and Ayurvedic ages that are more effective in helping in healing. These include qawwalis, Hindustani classical ragas, mantras of Vedic tradition, instruments like the sitar, flute and santoor (see below) and Baroque music. It has also been found that Greogorian chants and Sanskrit mantras help produce alpha brain waves that help relax the stressed mind. In addition to all this, Michael Thaut of Colorado State University states that music helps to activate different parts of the brain, including networks of motor control, memory, emotion and speech. He infers that this in turn helps heal people suffering from cerebral palsy, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and muscular dystrophy. Music has been around since Ayurveda in helping in the healing of the human body, and shall remain here for quite some time to come.
THE PHYSICAL EFFECT OF SOUND HAS ALSO A GREAT INFLUENCE UPON THE HUMAN BODY. THE WHOLE MECHANISM, THE MUSCLES, THE BLOOD CIRCULATION, THE NERVES ARE ALL MOVED BY THE POWER OF VIBRATION. SOUND HAS AN EFFECT ON EACH ATOM OF THE BODY, FOR EACH ATOM RESOUNDS. ON ALL GLANDS, ON THE CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD AND ON PULSATION SOUND HAS AN EFFECT. -Hazrat I. Kahn
In his music + meditation retreats, Manish Vyas uses music as the main tool for all the activities: yoga, meditation, singing, chanting, etc. The results have proved that choosing the right music can be very powerful and effective for the wellbeing and balancing of body, mind and spirit. www.manishvyas.com/retreats