Page 22 - Seniors Today - February Issue

Filmi, Indian Rock, and Indian Pop. emotions it can also be a great painkiller
In the Indian system of music there are
about the 500 modes and 300 different
rhythms used in everyday music. The
modes are called Ragas.
You can have all genres of music on
your smart phone and listen to just about
anything you are in the mood for.
Just download an app, such as Apple
Music, Spotify, Pandora or SoundCloud.
These provide ready-made playlists.
Music for all moods
You may have a particular style of music
that is especially meaningful to you. Also,
there may be certain types of music that you
gravitate towards when in a mood.
On waking: chanting music, inspirational
gospel music and meditation music.
During your exercise: rhythmic music,
which you can walk or jog to.
Evenings with your glass of wine:
classical, jazz, shlokas or filmi music.
Evenings with friends: for a karaoke night,
a game of Antakshari, or YouTube videos to
sing along.
Bedtime: lullabies, classical instrumental.
Induce sleep and reduce insomnia: pink
noise, white noise, the rhythms of the
natural world the sound of rain, waterfalls,
streams, the ocean, wind, birdsong, crickets
keep disturbed sleep at bay.
Self-care and music
If you want to keep your brain engaged
throughout the aging process, listening to
or playing music is a great tool. It provides
a total brain workout. Research has shown
that listening to music can reduce anxiety,
blood pressure, and pain as well as improve
sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and
memory.
Listening to music soothes pain and the
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by simultaneously distracting you and
boosting your positive emotions. Music
also has a capacity to evoke nostalgia;
Nostalgia is essentially a mechanism that
helps provide meaning in life and helps
us through our existential crises. When
we are feeling anxious or fearful, music
can help bring about a sense of calmness
and relaxation by lowering your pulse and
heart rate, dropping blood pressure, and
decreasing stress hormones.
On the other hand, what are the negatives
of music?
• Hearing loss with continuous increased
noise levels.
• Music can be distracting.
• Music can trigger bad memories.
• It’s very difficult to make money in the
music industry.
• Some people just can’t stand loud music,
it causes more stress than calm.
• Noise pollution.
The positives far outweigh the negatives.
Music at every level transports you to
another world, it’s a conversation with your
soul.
Make it a habit.
Let the music play on.
Music during exercise routines can help you keep time
and maintain rhythm