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Create a Soundtrack of My Life to relieve stress and anxiety, study suggests
For students facing essay deadlines, or indeed anyone with a daunting workload, rapid solutions for reducing stress can be vital to maintaining a level head.
Studies have shown the benefits of minor cognitive tricks, such as viewing stress as a challenge rather than a threat. One neuroscientist extols the virtues of breathing exercises for stress reduction. Now, for possibly the first time, researchers have tested single-session music therapy as a method of rapid counseling for students suffering from academic anxiety, with encouraging results.
Researchers invite stress study participants to create a Soundtrack of My Life
A group of Indonesian researchers working with students experiencing academic anxiety trialed a fascinating method of rapidly reducing stress using music therapy.�
One such method involved inviting students to select a song, modify the lyrics to reduce anxiety, and replay it �or sing it to manage anxiety and increase motivation.
The students picked a song they loved, and rewrote the lyrics to their song with positive and motivating content. Afterward, they reported a marked decrease in their level of anxiety toward the tasks they had to complete.�
Anxiety levels remained low following two months of regularly putting the method into practice, showing that its not just a one-off and can be repeated as a tool in stress reduction.
The 15-minute song-rewriting method works for other fears, too
Not only does music therapy work for people suffering from academic anxiety, but it’s also effective at regulating and combatting stress in other areas, according to the study‘s authors.
Clients who experienced anxiety about death due to covid-19, for example, reported a decrease in anxiety level from 10 to 5, using the method.�Single-session music therapy can also reduce academic procrastination.
Each person with a different problem background will feel a different impact, the researchers write.
An example of lyrics written during a music therapy session is: If we never try, how will we know? Baby how far this thing could go, give me a fight, if I’m on your mind, I don’t want to be long.
This method was proven to empower individuals to struggle independently in solving problems, write the researchers. The Soundtrack of My Life developed during the session serves as a lifelong reminder that through this counseling session, personal growth and development into a greater person than before was possible.
However, the idea is that participants come up with their lyrics independently. That way, they have a sense of ownership over them �they are more personal. So if youre interested in trying this at home, bear this in mind!
