In a recent study, scientists are now employing music therapy in their new strategy.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Recent study in China involved stressing out mice during the day and playing music for them at night.
- The study found that listening to music at night completely stopped the mice from feeling anxious or depressed due to the daytime stress.
- Anxiety is excessive worrying and nervousness, while depression is ongoing sadness and hopelessness. Both conditions can significantly affect a person’s daily life.
- Anxiety and depression have been increasing worldwide, possibly due to faster and more stressful lifestyles. Standard treatments like medicine and therapy don’t work for everyone.
- Scientists are exploring new ways to help with mental health issues, and this study suggests that music might have protective effects. While the study was done on mice, it provides an interesting perspective on how it could potentially help when dealing with stress.
So there’s this recent study done in China with mice. They did something interesting – they stressed out the mice during the day and then at night, they played music for them.
The cool part is, the results showed that listening to music completely stopped the mice from feeling anxious or depressed.
Now, let’s talk a bit about anxiety and depression. They are two mental health things that can mess with how a person feels and acts.
Depression is like this ongoing sadness and hopelessness and you might lose interest in things you used to enjoy. Anxiety, on the other hand is all about excessive worrying and feeling nervous, often leading to things like a faster heart rate and restlessness.
Both of these conditions can really mess up a person’s daily life, and they have been increasing a lot worldwide. Scientists think it’s because life has become faster and more stressful, but they are still figuring it out.
People usually treat depression and anxiety with medicine or talking therapy, but not everyone gets better with these. That’s why scientists are always trying to find new ways to help.
And one thing they have been looking at is music.
There’s this idea that listening to music can be good for different things, but they weren’t sure if it could help with anxiety and depression.
So, these scientists in China decided to test it out – on mice, of course. They wanted to see if music could protect mice from feeling bad when they were stressed a lot.
They took 36 male mice and split them into four groups. One group got stressed out, another group listened to music, the third group got both stress and music and the last group just did their usual mouse stuff.
The stressed mice had to deal with things like being restrained, having their cage tilted, wet bedding, no food or water, tail nipping, swimming in cold water and changes in their light schedule.
The music-listening mice heard a mix of 25 songs, some from the East and some from the West, for 90 minutes every night.
After 28 days of this stress and music routine, the scientists checked how the mice were doing. They did different tests to see if the mice were feeling down or anxious.
And guess what? The mice that had stress but also listened to music showed way less anxiety and depression-like behavior than the mice that only had stress.
The stressed-out mice that listened to music behaved almost like the mice that had a stress-free life.
The scientists also looked inside the mice’s bodies to see what was happening. They found that music prevented some bad things caused by stress, like oxidative stress and inflammation.
Basically, music helped protect the mice’s brains and bodies from the negative effects of stress.
Now, it’s important to remember that this was a mouse study, not a human one. Mice and humans are similar in some ways, but they are also pretty different.
So, while music worked for mice, we can’t be sure it’ll do the same for people. So, it requires more research. Still, it’s a cool insight into how music might help when things get tough.
Creative Ways to Use Music Therapy
Here are some creative ways to use music therapy that you might find interesting:
Chill Breathing Sessions – Pick tunes with a steady beat to guide your deep-breathing exercises. Sync your breath with the music for a calming and mindful experience.
Also, get together for drum circles where everyone jams with percussion instruments. It is a fun way to build a sense of community, communicate through beats, and let your creativity flow.
While at it, craft playlists with your favorite soothing tunes. Play them when stress hits to ease your anxiety and lift your spirits.
Music-Infused Storytime – Add a musical twist to storytelling by blending narratives with fitting tunes. It adds an emotional punch to the story, letting you express yourself in a therapeutic way.
Also, write down your thoughts while grooving to music that resonates with your feelings. It adds a unique dimension to your journaling sessions.
Dance It Out Therapy – Spice up your therapy with dance moves. Different music styles help you express yourself physically, improve coordination, and shake off tension.
More so, dive into virtual reality for immersive musical experiences. Perfect for those who might not have easy access to traditional instruments.
While at it, ensure to let recorded nature sounds or instrumental soundscapes enhance your guided imagery sessions. It’s like painting mental pictures with music for relaxation.
More importantly, try your hand at songwriting as a way to express yourself. Write lyrics that tell your story, turning your experiences into personal songs. Do join sessions focused on truly listening to it.
Share your emotional responses, fostering awareness and thoughtful reflection. Also, pair your yoga and meditation practices with calming melodies. It enhances the mind-body connection, creating a tranquil atmosphere.
Instrument Exploration Zone – Experience an “instrument petting zoo” where you can play around with different musical instruments. A tactile treat, especially for those with sensory sensitivities.
To make it more fun, ensure you blend music with other arts like painting or sculpting. Let your emotions inspired by music guide your creative expressions.
Healing Harmony for Pain – Use specific music to complement pain management strategies. It serves as a distraction, easing pain and contributing to a positive experience.
Also, collaborate with others to create music together. Contribute lyrics, melodies or play an instrument as a team, fostering a sense of accomplishment.
Keep in mind that these methods can be tweaked to suit your preferences and therapy goals. The key is to make your music therapy experience uniquely yours.