Two things that are capable of releasing the negative energy stocking up are physical exercise and music. I have no clue about the former, but, I'll try to take you through the latter. So, whats the big deal? I listen to the music I want to or whatever is there, what is the problem? As much relief as music can provide, there are so many chances of getting into an emotional mess.
To explain this, I'm pointing out a very common example. FM is something most of us are forced to listen when we make use of public transport. I remember the days when I used to listen to FM played in my college bus. Half way through I used to doze off and thanks to Suryan FM's new releases edition from 5PM to 6PM, I would get up startled to the jarring effect of "Naaka Mukka" (the female version). There is no need to say how the rest of my day would be.
Having set that context, what kind of music should you listen to? The answer is very simple and all know it. The kind of music you enjoy.
The first problem here is something called as an anchor. Most of the times music reminds you of the past. For instance, I used to listen to a set of songs while reading Harry Potter (I read all the books at a stretch), so the same songs kept repeating throughout the time and whenever I listen to anyone of those songs, my mind goes to HP, Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest and so on. This relative thinking is called as an anchor. Again, an anchor could be a blessing or a curse.
Nostalgia, for instance is a good feeling, at least for me. When I listen to "Kaathadi Thanalum" from Classmates (Malayalam), if I close my eyes and concentrate, I could go back and live through my entire college life. Its really the best complement to a musician to say that he has composed a song that takes you there. So, suddenly one day I'm sitting in office close to midnight (or early morning) feeling lonely, I have my solution right next to me. Anchor is a boon here.
Now, the curse part: People who just broke up in a relationship resort to all kinds of romantic-sad songs. Say a BIG NO! Its going to make you worse. If you want the music to take your mind off something, its logical that you should be listening to a genre/theme different from where you want to deviate. Studies say that the recovery time from a break-up is 10 times slower if you keep reliving those moments. So, beware of the anchor and use it right.
Another common but serious issue is falling asleep while the music is still running. When I got my first mp3 player in college, I used to carry it everywhere. On the way back, in the college bus, listening to songs and falling asleep used to be an everyday deal. One evening, I woke up when the bus reached my stop and ran out of the bus in haste, the player still singing "Sundari" from Dhalapathy. Unaware of the surroundings, I kept singing it to myself till I reached my flat. Two girls who overheard used to ask me who Sundari was until the day I shifted from there.
Jokes apart, the music still playing while you are asleep is not such a good thing, especially if the music has lyric in it. Your brain sometimes stores these information without your knowledge. You might have come across situations where you sing along with a song and suddenly realize that you never made an attempt to by-heart the lyrics. So, if you are a sleep-as-soon-as-you-settle-down type, keep the play list to a minimum and turn off repeat mode. If you insist keeping a loop, an alternative solution is to listen to instrumentals in a low volume. This way your soul still enjoys its kind in the music and you get to sleep happily.
Though there are a few pointers that one could gain about what kind of music to listen, its impossible to generalize. In the end, its one's tastes that matter. Whatever your taste is, you can use music to the best to get some stress out. A few suggestions are listed below:
- Always enjoy your music.
- Beware of Anchors.
- Don't listen to a mix of themes unless you are in a casual mood. If you are looking for motivation, go with songs that motivate you.
- Don't force yourselves into listening to music. Plug out the earphones and give way for air flow when you feel it.
- To thinking clearly and still enjoy the music, lower the volume or listen to instrumentals. Listening to words (song/speech) attracts part of your brain's reception.
- Repeated listening to the same song sometimes has bad effects. You may get bored of the song soon.
- Don't force someone listen to a song when they are not up for it. They will for sure hate the song.
- If the play list has a collection of themes, don't let the software choose for you. All it can do is to generate a random number.
- Sleep and music together have both good and bad effects. Filter out what you might not enjoy.
Believe it or not, there is a raagam called Amridhavarshini that is capable of bringing rain. Well, some say its a myth, but I say, when music can alter the course of nature, why not your mind? The field of therapy with music is gradually developing and don't be surprised if, in future, part of your hospital bill reads, "A.R.Rahman Expenses". Enjoy your music. Keep your soul happy and relaxed.
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