Isn’t music awesome? I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who doesn’t like music. For many, it’s an intrinsic part of daily life. And if we use it intentionally, it can also be the backbone of our self care for stress and anxiety! Intrigued and want to learn more? Great, because the purpose of this post is to teach you how to regulate the nervous system using music.
Before diving into the fun part, let’s first get a better understanding of what it means to regulate the nervous system. Basically, whenever we have been in a state of chronic anxiety or stress, we can say that our nervous system is dysregulated. That’s because our nervous system is in charge of keeping us alive, and can get stuck in survival mode. Fun, right?
When we talk about regulating the nervous system, we are talking about getting it out of that constant survival mode. We are working to bring it into a more grounded state and helping it get used to being there. The more we practise nervous system regulation strategies, the more effective they will become. We will also become less likely to slip into survival mode at the drop of a hat.
There are many natural ways to help anxiety (and therefore regulate our nervous system). Be sure to check out my book Anxious and Empowered, which is basically a guide to just that! In the meantime, let’s dive into how we can use one tool specifically to regulate the nervous system: music.
Listen to Music Mindfully
If you’re anything like me, you probably use music primarily as background noise or as a secondary activity (i.e., listening to the radio while you work or giving off-key concerts while you drive). We are a multitasking species after all. But have you ever tried listening to music mindfully, as in that is the only task you are doing at that moment?
As we know from our mindfulness crash course, practising doing things mindfully is great for anxiety. But maybe you’re not ready to sit through a mindful meditation just yet or to try doing the dishes mindfully – that’s cool! What better mindfulness practice to start with than one that lets you listen to music that you like?
Ready to learn how? Okay, pay close attention. First, you’re going to pick a song. Second, you’re going to stop everything that you’re doing and just listen. Third, – wait, nope, that’s it, there’s no third step. It’s that easy. You might try using headphones to block out external distractions, but that’s literally it.
Pro tip if you find this a little difficult at first: try picking one instrument to listen closely for, or notice the sensations happening in your body as the song progresses. Training your brain to be more mindful is a great way to regulate the nervous system, and music is a great tool to do just that.
Sing or Hum
Did you know that singing and humming are great tools for regulating the nervous system? I like to think that it’s because we probably wouldn’t be belting out show tunes if we were in imminent danger. But also, as I mentioned in this post on breathing techniques, singing and humming make the vocal chords vibrate, which stimulates the vague nerve. And the vagus nerve plays a key part in bringing our nervous system into a state of relaxation.
Something I enjoy doing when my nervous system is feeling dysregulated is to go for a drive and give an exclusive car concert. I’m talking singing at the top of your lungs and really putting emotion into it. Making awkward eye contact with the driver next to you when you’re stuck at a red light is optional.
My challenge to you right now is to create a playlist of songs you love to sing along to. That way, the next time you are feeling anxious or stressed, you can just hit play and sing your heart out! Humming’s cool too if you’re in a place where belting out Bohemian Rhapsody would be frowned upon.
Dance
Another great way to regulate the nervous system is to dance. Preferably like no one is watching. There’s something about shaking and movement that is very soothing for the nervous system. So go ahead and close the blinds, put on a great song and let your body guide you! I’ve even started an anxiety shakedown playlist for you on Spotify as a good place to start. Let me know your favourite dance tunes in the comments below and I might even add them to the playlist!
Bilateral Music
This tip is related to a technique made popular by EMDR therapy called bilateral stimulation. Basically, this involves some sort of stimulation that alternates between left and right repeatedly (such as tapping your legs or passing a ball back and forth between your hands). This activates both hemispheres of the brain (the rational side and the emotional side) and can be very soothing.
Another way to access this phenomenon is through bilateral music. These are songs created specifically to alternate between your left and right ear when you listen with headphones. You can search for bilateral music albums and playlists wherever you listen to music.
Binaural Beats
Not to be confused with bilateral music, binaural beats are another cool tool that can help to regulate the nervous system. Rather than alternating ears, this type of music plays in both ears at the same time. However, a different frequency is being played in each ear (so you want to wear headphones for this too). Because our brain can’t process two frequencies at once, it averages the frequencies, which can impact our brainwaves and mental state.
A word of caution on binaural beats: there isn’t sufficient evidence to support their efficacy. That being said, this research study that looked at the findings of 22 other studies did conclude that listening to binaural beats can affect our cognition (including reducing anxiety). This just depends on how often, for how long and when we listen to binaural beats. And on the plus side, assuming you aren’t listening to the beats too loud, no side effects of using this strategy have been reported. However, it has been cautioned that you consult with your doctor before trying binaural beats if you have epilepsy.
Safe and Sound Protocol
Last but not least, I’ve included a type of listening therapy that you complete with a licensed professional, called the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). I was fortunate enough to complete this therapy program for myself last year and find it super interesting! It’s been around since 2017 and is based on polyvagal theory, which was created by Dr. Stephen Porges.
The SSP uses filtered music that you listen to a little bit at a time, sometimes with a therapist and sometimes on your own. It helps to regulate the nervous system by sending safety cues through the music, which help us access a calm, grounded state. Check out this site if you would like to learn more about the SSP and the science behind it.
Conclusion
Music is an incredible gift and a fantastic tool for regulating the nervous system. As we’ve seen above, there are many ways that we can use music to soothe anxiety and support our healing. Give some of these cool strategies a try and see if you notice a difference! And let me know below some of your favourite songs and artists that help you shake off stress and anxiety.
PS – looking for some more ways to regulate the nervous system? Check out these posts:
