Use Music to Get Fired Up or De-Stress
Listening to Music Can Boost Your Immune Function
A 2006 Journal of Advanced Nursing study showed that listening to music one hour a day for a week reduced symptoms of depression by 25%. Music, especially classical music, can also serve as a powerful stress-relief tool. Listening to Pachelbel’s famous Canon in D major while preparing a public speech helps avoid anxiety and lowers heart rate and blood pressure, which usually accompany public speaking. Music therapy can also elevate mood, improve immune system function, reduce fatigue, and improve self-acceptance in people. Music therapy has been shown to have beneficial health effects on cancer patients, multiple sclerosis patients, and surgical patients.
I use different CDs in the car. When I need to get Fired Up!, I have energizing, upbeat music that empowers me. When I need to relax, I listen to soft jazz and soothing instrumentals. Try this yourself, especially if you spend hours in the car each day. Make custom playlists on your MP3 player.
Key Takeaways
- A 2006 Journal of Advanced Nursing study found that one hour of music a day for a week reduced depression symptoms by 25%.
- Classical music, like Pachelbel’s Canon in D, is linked to lower anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure before high-pressure moments like public speaking.
- Music therapy has documented benefits for mood, immune function, fatigue, and self-acceptance, including in cancer, MS, and surgical patients.
- Matching music to the moment (energizing for focus, soothing for winding down) is a simple, portable stress tool, especially useful during long stretches in the car.
This is a simple example of the Regulation element of the Leadership Resilience System: using small, deliberate tools to manage your physiological state under pressure. Explore the Leadership Resilience Hub for more.