Sunday, January 11, 2009

Music—another anxiety buster

A couple posts ago, I wrote about the power of laughter in reducing anxiety. I've thought of another guaranteed anxiety reducer: listening to music.

When I'm really anxious or just having a bad day, I like to turn on some cheesy '80s pop or dance music to take my mind elsewhere. Even though I might not feel like it, I'll even sing along (a great way to reduce that shortness of breath feeling anxiety often brings). My current counselor even told me I should sing in the shower in the morning to "start the day right." I readily admit that I'm not a vocalist, but I do find getting revved up by a favorite song to be a great anxiety buster.

Reducing anxiety essentially is about getting back to living—laughing, singing, and enjoying company. Anxiety robs us of all that. We must take our lives back!

10 comments:

Robert said...

My wife has just discovered the power of a good book in reducing her anxiety. AND it has made her want to get out and live a bit more! I've been using books as a stress buster all my life. It really works!

Btw, comedy books and "feel-good" books work best.

Doug said...

Thanks for sharing, Robert! I suggest uplifting and energizing music, too.

Aey said...

I have to say I agree on this completely.

Robert said...

As a former professional musician, I couldn't agree more about the benefits of good music! Why not put them all together - laughter, good music and good books (not all simultaneously, of course!)?

Doug said...

Great idea, Robert. Sounds like living life instead of living anxiety :)

Blogger with Ocd said...

I hate the shortness of breath feeling, and I TOTALLY AGREE that singing helps to take it away!

Do you feel like your diaphragm doesn't work when the shortness of breath feeling comes?

I get it a LOT, even when I'm not feeling anxious.

Laying on my back helps, too, because it forces my breathing to regulate itself. But the moment I stand up, there I am subconsciously clenching my stomach again.

www.itsmewithocd.blogspot.com

Doug said...

I hate that feeling, too! Singing forces you to bring in air, I suppose. I've heard that inproper breathing exacerbates anxiety.

Doug said...

I hate that feeling, too! Singing forces you to bring in air, I suppose. I've heard that inproper breathing exacerbates anxiety.

Doug said...

I hate that feeling, too! Singing forces you to bring in air, I suppose. I've heard that inproper breathing exacerbates anxiety.

viagra online said...

I agree about it!
I can not live one day of my life without music, when I'm listening to it I just pretend that I forgot everything related to stressing issues.