How Music, Voice and Words Relieve Stress

The other day, I was watching the Michael Moseley programme on Channel 4 called “Secrets of the Superagers”.  In the first episode, Moseley visited a researcher at Goldsmith’s College, London who was engaged in testing whether certain types of music lowered stress levels. 

What she found was that, when listening to the right kind of music, stress indicators fell.  The test subjects also began to produce more alpha brainwaves – an indicator that they were feeling calmer. 

Alpha Brainwaves

Alpha brainwaves are very beneficial in all sorts of ways and are associated with states of relaxed alertness and said to lower the stress hormone cortisol.  The production of alpha brainwaves is also associated with increased creativity and ability to problem-solve. They can also contribute to better focus and concentration and enhance learning ability.  Being able to access the alpha brainwave state facilitates falling asleep at bedtime.    

The “right” kind of music to produce this effect was identified as having a 60 beat per minute or lower timing and an uncomplicated structure where the notes bleed into each other. 

It is to be noted that accessing the beneficial alpha brainwaves can be facilitated through meditation and mindfulness, spending time in nature, certain kinds of exercise and visualisation of calming images.   

The brain produces different types of brainwaves depending on the activity we are engaged in.  When we are very active, we produce the faster beta brainwaves.  When we are close to sleep, we produce theta brainwaves.  During certain phases of sleep, we produce delta brainwaves. 

Mental Wellbeing

It is important for mental wellbeing that we are able to produce this range of brainwaves but very often, we do not allow ourselves the time for the calmer states that are so restorative and beneficial as described above.  This means that accessing the alpha states with all their benefits, may only be accessed by us in limited ways. 

Relaxation Recordings

My relaxation recordings which you can buy on this site are aimed at enabling you to access these deeper, restorative levels of relaxation where you are most likely to access the alpha brainwaves and perhaps also the theta ones.   

I have incorporated elements that combine to give a deeply relaxing experience; well-chosen music tracks, the sound of my voice (also a musical instrument!), speaking words in a way that facilitates accessing deeper relaxation, as well as creating the possibility for you to form mental images in response to my words that are calming and positive.   

They are well-priced and available as digital downloads.  They have been recorded in a studio for best quality. 

A Course in Relaxation

My “Relaxation Magic” download which is also available, includes a pdf describing why relaxation is so important, a simple 4-week relaxation programme, as well as a self-hypnosis recording to use as part of that. 

Try them and let me know what you think.   

You might also like to read these blog posts.

Your Body, Stress, the Fight/Flight Response — Catherine Chadwick

Three Ways Stress Can Affect the Brain and What You Can Do About It — Catherine Chadwick

Wired For Breaks? — Catherine Chadwick

Catherine Chadwick

Helping people with social anxiety, public speaking fear and stopping smoking using the cutting edge therapies of Hypnotherapy and Integral Eye Movement Therapy. I have more than 20 years experience as a therapist and my practice is based in the City of London, UK.

https://catherinechadwick.co.uk
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Your Body, Stress, the Fight/Flight Response