Why Listening to Music At Home Keeps You Sane During a Health Crisis

8 Min Read

In unprecedented times, such as the current quarantine, it is easy to find yourself in a poor mental state. Even if just temporary, the world is currently grieving the life that they typically know on a day to day basis, as everything has currently shifted during this health crisis. People are now seeking new hobbies, and finding ways to make use of their time and see light during a difficult time.

One way to cope with these emotions and counteract feelings of grief and sorrow is by listening to music at home. Listening to music at home on a jukebox or record player can be a great way to escape the reality that is currently happening and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Read on to learn more about the benefits of music on the human mind and why this is especially beneficial in the midst of a health crisis.

Mental Health Benefits of Listening To Music

While music has a number of benefits generally, the process of listening to music is especially beneficial when it comes to mental health. Over the years, research has consistently shown the powerful effects of music on the human mind. In a time where mental health can be at risk due to the uncertainty of a health crisis, leaning into the benefits of music can be a helpful avenue. Here are the top benefits of music when it comes to mental health:

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

When feelings of stress and anxiety arise, your heart rate increases, breathing becomes more difficult, and muscles can tense up. Stress and anxiety are typically a result of pressure or tension in some area of your life, but anxiety specifically can also occur without reason as well. A great way to calm these feelings of stress and anxiety is through listening to peaceful and relaxing music.

Why exactly does listening to music help ease stress and anxiety? Playing music, specifically relaxing and calming songs, positively influences your nervous system where stress and anxiety-based hormones are created, such as cortisol and adrenaline. When you listen to music that counter effects these hormones, your overall stress levels decrease significantly.

Improves Memory

A notable benefit of listening to music when you start a record collection is the fact that it can improve memory. Over the years, classical music has been shown to have positive influences on memory as it helps declutter the mind. In fact, listening to classical music has even been shown to stimulate the brain and help boost memory in those who suffer from Alzheimer’s and dementia. The reasoning behind this is that classical music aids in igniting areas of your brain that are typically left inactive on a day to day basis. In doing so, new pathways are developed, allowing for better retention of information.

Enhances Mood

Listening to happy, upbeat music plays a large role when it comes to enhancing mood. While song preference may change from person to person, the effects of listening to upbeat music that you enjoy are undeniable when it comes to boosting your mood. With that said, the effects are twice as strong if you get up and dance or exercise alongside the music playing.

The reason for this positive shift in mood is due to the fact that your mind releases endorphins and dopamine as a result of hearing music. Not only does this help regulate emotions, it also stimulates the human mind in a way that sparks optimism and joyfulness. So, if you’re feeling down, turning on your favorite song and jamming out can be a great way to lift your spirits.

Increases Productivity

Whether you are working from home and listening to background classical vinyl music or playing your one of your favorite alternative vinyl records while you deep clean your house, the music you are listening to may be the reason you are hustling through it. When it comes to music and productivity, listening to your favorite music not only increases your mood, but makes you more productive as a result as well.

Some tasks may seem repetitive, such as replying to numerous emails that are flooding your inbox. However, adding background noise while you work through these tedious tasks may subconsciously push you to move through them a bit quicker as a result. Similarly, playing upbeat background music that you enjoy while cleaning your house may make the process a little less daunting and rather more enjoyable.

Decreases Depression

Lastly, alongside the minor ways music can improve the quality of your life, it can also help you when you’re in a depressive state as well. In fact, the effects are so strong that music has been referred to by many as an antidepressant itself. From music therapy to simply listening to music on one’s own, the effects of music demonstrate that when listening, stimulations in certain areas of the mind occur, which increase mood, boost self-esteem, and even reduce emotional pain.

Why During A Health Crisis?

While these benefits ring true on a day to day basis, they are especially relevant during a health crisis. As a result of COVID-19, a current and widespread health crisis, many people around the world are forced out of their regular, everyday routines. Some have lost their jobs entirely, some are still working but under new, unfamiliar circumstances, and some are working on the front lines directly. Given these changes, many people are grieving the loss of their regular routine, even if just temporary, and as a result are seeping into feelings of stress, anxiety, and sadness now more than ever.

With that said, the power of music is a great way to uplift your mood and keep you sane during the quarantine. From listening to your favorite albums to discovering new artists and songs, there are plenty of options to use music as a healthy and beneficial coping mechanism during this time. Not only will listening to music at home help keep you sane, it can also aid in being more productive and making the most use of your time at home as well.

What Is The Best Way To Listen To Music At Home?

Now that you are familiar with the numerous health benefits of listening to music at home, let’s discuss the best way to achieve an immersive audio experience and make the most out of those benefits.

Invest In A Vinyl Record Player

While you can stream music from your phone, laptop, or other devices, to truly embrace the listening environment and the music itself, you will want to invest in a vinyl record player. In comparison to streaming music digitally, vinyl records are analog recordings, meaning they are embedded with much higher quality recordings when it comes to sound. That said, vinyl records are associated with a warmer, more holistic sound when being played in comparison to digital recordings.

If you’re looking for the perfect record player to match the aesthetic of your own home, Victrola record players are a great option. With numerous styles and designs to choose from, you can be sure to find the perfect vinyl record player for you and your home. Victrola record players provide superior audio quality on many different platforms as well. In other words, if you enjoy streaming music from platforms such as Spotify or Pandora, Victrola record players have a built in bluetooth system so you can still stream digital music whenever you’d like. Additionally, each record player has built-in CD and cassette slots, allowing for more options when it comes to any digital tracks you have on file as well.

When you invest in a vinyl record player, you are investing in quality sound with a timeless aesthetic. Given the powerful nature of music and its significant health benefits, why wouldn’t you want to embrace the utmost audio quality when it comes to music consumption? Playing music from a vinyl record player brings feelings of warmth and depth to your tunes of choice, and can even have you forgetting that you are stuck at home in the middle of an ongoing health crisis.

Now Sit Back, Relax, and Put Your Records On

Music undeniably has a powerful influence on the human mind, which can be exceptionally beneficial during times of uncertainty such as the current health crisis. While a fraction of the current situation is out of our control, beyond staying at home and taking necessary precautions, what does remain under our control is how we manage our time in quarantine.

With that said, taking steps towards self-care, such as listening to music, makes all the difference when it comes to staying sane during a health crisis. Whether it’s music you grew up listening to or your favorite top-charting songs, music may help you ease your mind in a time like this. So put the top vinyl records of 2020 on and let yourself escape, even if just for a song or two - it will make all the difference in your day!

If you want to know “how long do vinyl records last?” or how to take care of records, read on for more insights.

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