Relaxation Music for Reducing Stress
Stress is a significant factor that negatively impacts our health, specifically our physical and mental health. When stress becomes prolonged and overwhelming, the risks for mental health and medical problems increase. For example, long-term stress increases the risk of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, bipolar and sleep disorders, as well as symptoms such as irritability and difficulty concentrating.
Stress that's not dealt with can also lead to many medical and physical health problems. A few of the medical issues that a person can develop due to an inability to manage stress effectively are high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma. Unresolved stress is also positively correlated with substance use or addictive behavior problems.
Difficulty dealing with stress can also negatively impact an individual's work and vocational pursuits. Prolonged stress can affect a person's productivity, job satisfaction, absences, tardiness, and a company's employee turnover rates. Mood swings, withdrawal, loss of motivation, lower commitment, less confidence, and increased emotional reactions such as burnout and being more aggressive can also be symptoms of stress.
Stress can also negatively impact relationships with family members, friends, and intimate, romantic partners. When people are experiencing high levels of stress, they become more withdrawn and distracted, and less affectionate towards their friends and loved ones. They also have less time for leisure activities, which leads to alienation between friends and partners.
There are many coping mechanisms and stress management techniques that help with stress. Regular exercise, deep breathing exercises, massages, getting enough sleep, and guided relaxation techniques allow people to better cope with stress. In addition, seeking guidance and counseling, attending a support group, balancing work and play, and socializing with friends and family can help a person deal with stress better.
Therapeutic relaxation music is one of the most effective techniques for effectively and efficiently reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Listening to relaxation music has powerful effects on both the body and mind. Relaxation music slows breathing, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, quiets the nervous system, eases muscle tension, reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and can help with physical healing and recovery.
In my practice as a psychotherapist, I utilize therapeutic relaxation music to help my clients learn how to experience a deep state of relaxation and, as a result, reduce their anxiety and stress. When relaxed, clients tend to have a better and more productive outcome in counseling. I am a licensed therapist and a musician. As a musician, I have used my skills to create my brand of therapeutic relaxation music.
I have also mixed my therapeutic relaxation music, which is intentionally very slow in tempo, with binaural audio tones, primarily in the theta range. The binaural audio tones enhance the relaxation experience and response. Each recording of my music also includes a brief introduction to enhance the relaxation experience further. My therapeutic relaxation music is also excellent for the practice of meditation.
The optimal way to listen to my therapeutic relaxation music is with good-quality headphones. It is also important to rest comfortably in a chair or lie down while listening to the relaxation music recording. As you listen to my music, focus only on the relaxation music. When your attention wanders from the music, gently bring it back to paying attention to only the relaxation music.
As you continue to listen to the relaxing music, notice your breathing and ensure that you breathe slowly, feeling the air entering your nose and then exhaling as the air leaves your body through your nose again. Remember to pay attention to the relaxation music until the recording ends. Listen to the therapeutic relaxation music recording every day.
Each recording of my therapeutic relaxation music is approximately 30 minutes long and costs only $2.95. In addition, each recording comes with a full money-back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied. If you are a provider of healthcare services and are interested in how you can incorporate my therapeutic relaxation music in your clinical work, please call me at 305-498-3442 for a free consultation.
Dr. Harry Henshaw
