Music has been used to meditate for hundreds of years and recently scientific studies have studied and listed the types of sounds, instruments and music genres that most help us relax: jazz and classical music, nature sounds (for example, the sound of thunder, rain or water flowing), the use of stringed-instruments and the flute, and Celtic music. And, surprisingly, it has also been proven that singing can also help us release tension and improves our mood.
Each person in the world, due to their personal experiences and circunstances, feels a complete different feeling when the same sound is heard. Happiness, sadness, loneliness, love, hate,.... sounds can be so powerful that they might arise all of those feelings from the very bottom of our hearts.
José Ortega y Gasset
The following audios have been cautiously selected as they represent the top sounds that most people find meaningful and classify as "relaxing".
Classical tick tock sound made by the second hand of some clocks.
Relaxing crackling sound of a close safe camp fire that is burning well in a campsite, providing light to see in the dark, warmth and heat for the cooking.
Helicopter in the sky that gets too close and it can be felt flying overhead.
There is something special about the 'clunk clunk' sound the keystrokes of an old-fashioned typewriter make that can be categorized as therapuetic or relaxing.
Roar and chug of a steam train approaching.
Listening to music can have a profound effect on our emotions and, therefore, on our body. It is a powerful tool that brings beneficial effects on our physiological functions, especially with classical music, slowing down our heart rate, decreasing the stress, lowering blood pressure or even acting as a distraction when something that worries you keeps your mind busy.
Perhaps, finding a proper moment to listen to music in today's society can be difficult or even seen like a waste of time, but it is not like that. You can try turning on the radio when commuting, taking a portable music device when going for a walk, playing a CD when cooking instead of watching the television, or even listening some music you like in your smartphone when having a shower or when studying for an important exam.
But each person has its own musical preferences, and there is a wide range of music genres to choose from, which means that every one of us has to find the type of music we like or suits for each moment and mood. For example, classical quiet music can calm down your muscles and mind, fast-rhythm music with can make people feel more alert, modern electronic music can make you feel more optimistic, and the sound of the nature can make you feel nostalgic and happy.