by Karah Chappel, MT-BC
A lot of folks think about the holidays as a time to gather with family and friends, exchange gifts, eat a lot of food, and celebrate. If you’re not big on holidays, you may think about all the extra people on the roads, some time off from work, and a change up in music played at the grocery store. Either way, you or your loved ones may experience stress from disrupted routines, changes in relationships, and the general expectations around the season. I see you, I am you, and I would love to give you three of the ways I use music to destress during the holidays.
Pick Your Playlist
First, we need to prep for the events we know will be stressful. Because of the link between music and memory, listening to music elicits the emotions we associated with that song from past experiences (Jancke, 2008). This means that listening to music we associate with positive memories will bring us those positive emotions. When I listen to music by Bazzi, I think about taking naps in my very comfortable bed; then when I listen to his music at other times I remember feeling relaxed, calm, and safe. Your songs for this activity will be different than mine; think about music you remember listening to with a supportive friend or on a relaxing vacation or during fun holidays-past. Putting your favs on repeat before you head out of the house will give you a leg up with the pleasant feelings.
Listen and Breathe
Separate from listening to music to boost mood, we can listen to music to stabilize physiological symptoms of anxiety. Did you know that the beat of music can actually change the rate of your heartbeat (Zhao & Kuhl, 2020)? We’re about to harness this to our advantage. When we experience stress or anxiety, our heart rate will speed up; listening to slow music can help us slow it down again. Choose songs for relaxation that have a slower tempo. Also, think back to option one and what memories you associate with the song: make sure you have neutral or positive thoughts. As a bonus, adding guided breathing exercises over your preferred song will also decrease your breathing rate (Balban et al, 2023). Focus on exhaling for longer than you inhale for maximum relaxation.
Find an Anthem
When we start getting overwhelmed by the activity in the coming weeks, we’re going to need some motivation. Since positive self-talk activates reward pathways in the brain, we need some phrases we can use for ourselves (Cascio et al, 2016). Singing a song that has upbeat messaging about belief in ourselves, values we hold, and characteristics of our personality will help us feel good and take action. If you’re looking for a place to start, “If I Were a Fish” by corook ft. Olivia Barton, “The Champion” by Carrie Underwood ft. Ludacris, and “Perfect” by Anne-Marie are some of my favs.
The holidays can be a stressful time, and they also can be incredibly beautiful; I hope choosing some of these methods will help you tip towards the second half.
Did any of these strategies work for you? Let me know in the comments!
