Music as medicine is not a new concept. People have long recognized the power of music to heal. It affects mental health and mood, but research increasingly indicates that it can even impact physical health.

This month, use our printable calendar to focus on music as therapy, medicine, and healing. Use suggestions from BetterSleep and our music collection while finding your own songs and sounds that help you feel good, relax, unwind, and get a good night’s sleep.

What Is Music Therapy?

Music therapy goes well beyond simply using music to change your mood or to reduce stress. It is a valid profession. Music therapy uses musical interventions as a therapeutic tool for addressing and meeting a patient’s goals.

Music affects the body and the mind. Some of the goals that music therapy can help someone accomplish include:

• Improving overall wellness
• Expressing and working through emotions
• Improving communication skills and social skills
• Managing stress
• Managing mental health symptoms
• Developing coping skills
• Processing difficult memories and trauma
• Improving cognitive skills
• Promoting physical rehabilitation and motor skills
• Managing developmental disabilities

The History of Music Therapy

Music as medicine or spiritual healing dates back thousands of years. People in many ancient cultures recognized the power of music and vibrations.

An early modern reference to the healing value of music was an article called “Music Physically Considered,” published in the 1780s. More papers followed as physicians and psychologists started seeing the value in health outcomes.

In the 20th century, music therapy emerged after World War I and World War II, when people realized the benefits of playing music to veterans. The first academic program to train music therapists was established at Michigan State University in 1944.

Do I Need Music Therapy?

Music therapists can be helpful if you need mental health professionals to cope with challenges you struggle to deal with on your own. However, you can also get plenty of benefits from music without the guidance of a professional.

You might want to work with music therapists to supplement other forms of mental health care. Or, you might only want to add music to your ongoing self-care for better overall wellness. If you are considering hiring a professional, learn more about what they do and find qualified music therapists.

What Does a Music Therapist Do?

A qualified music therapist is trained in the discipline and accredited through the Certification Board for Music Therapists. They work much like other therapists. They evaluate and assess patients, help them define goals, and then create and implement music sessions to achieve those goals.

A music therapy session might involve listening to music, playing musical instruments, musical improvisation, creating music, guided imagery with music, discussion of music, and more.

As part of music therapy services, the therapist evaluates the patient, follows up with their goals, and adjusts the treatment plan as needed. Everyone’s musical preferences are different, but therapists use the sounds and songs that best meet an individual’s needs.

Where Do Music Therapists Work?

Music therapy professionals work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, mental healthcare centers, senior centers, schools, private practices, and other locations.

The American Music Therapy Association

If you want to find a professional to work with, make sure they are trained and certified. The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is a handy resource for finding a qualified therapist in your area. Use the AMTA website to find more information and verify the credentials of music therapists you are considering hiring.

What Are the Benefits of Music Therapy and Music in General?

If you have ever listened to a favorite song that made you feel instantly happier, a song that energized you, or a song that inspired more introspective thoughts, you know the power of music. Whether you work with a professional or use music therapeutically on your own, the effects of music therapy are impressive:

Reduce Stress and Anxiety

A common reason to turn on some music is to relax. Evidence from research proves that it works. One study even found that music was better at reducing pre-surgery anxiety in patients than prescription anti-anxiety medications.

If you have had a stressful day, music can help. Music actually reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.

Treat Mental Illness

Music therapy is proven effective in treating and managing several mental illnesses and their symptoms. If you have a diagnosed mental illness, it is important to work with professionals rather than trying to treat it on your own.

With a trained therapist, music can help manage depression by improving mood. Music therapy has been used to help people with schizophrenia improve symptoms and social and communication skills.

Cope and Recover from Trauma

Music therapy can be useful in helping individuals heal from traumatic experiences. Creative therapies are increasingly used in both children and adults as a tool to express emotions and find a healthy way to process and cope with painful experiences.

Boost Immunity

Music impacts both mental and physical health. Studies of the use of music in healthcare settings find it relaxes patients, reduces stress and anxiety, and provides a physical boost. It improves the functioning of the immune system by increasing certain antibodies and natural killer cells, the cells that attack viruses and other pathogens.

Manage Pain

The same studies of the use of music in healthcare have also found that it helps patients manage pain. For instance, people report less pain when listening to music while having an IV needle inserted. Kids have less pain during procedures when music is part of the process.

Other Physical Benefits of Music

Studies have looked at the physical health benefits of music or actively using professional music therapy. In addition to improved immunity and less pain, music can:

• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce heart rate and breathing rate
• Reduce pain perception
• Improve sleep
• Reduce episodes and severity of asthma
• Improve motor function in people with Parkinson’s disease
• Promote weight gain and improve sleep in premature babies

How to Use the Music Therapy Calendar

Undergoing music therapy isn’t for everyone. If you’re not ready to hire music therapists, but you want to benefit from music as a therapy. October is a great time to dive into music and all it can do to benefit your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Set a Daily Music Goal

Our printable monthly calendar is a great tool for making a new habit. Print it out or use a digital version and use it for accountability. Set a goal to use music daily to support your mental health and physical well-being.

The calendar can be useful for helping you achieve this goal in a couple of ways. First, use it to check off each day as you listen to music in a thoughtful, meaningful way. Also, you can use the calendar to give you ideas and inspiration for how to meet your goal. The ideas, along with the music selections on the BetterSleep app, make it easy to integrate music into your daily life.

Include Music in Your Daily Routine

Music is a great distraction from the worries and stresses you face daily. The more you add music to your soundtrack, the better you’ll feel. Try listening to instrumental music while working to improve focus, for instance. Make chores more fun; put on your most upbeat songs instead of just listening to ambient background noises.

Meditate to Music

Meditation alone is a helpful skill for relaxing, managing stress, preparing for sleep, and more. Traditionally, meditation is a quiet activity, but don’t feel limited. Meditation is personal, and if music helps you focus and relax, use it.

The Meditation Sanctum playlist includes several pieces of music designed to enhance your practice. The Deep Focus playlist is great for those days when you find it difficult to concentrate on a meditation or breathing exercise.

Enhance Deep Sleep with Music

If you struggle with insomnia or wake up often throughout the night, you need to increase your deep sleep. BetterSleep’s Deep Sleep playlist includes tunes specifically designed to prepare your mind for a night of deeper rest. Listen to these songs before bed or even as you drift off to sleep.

Home Spa Music Therapy Sessions

For the ultimate relaxation before bed, turn to our Spa Music playlist. It’s like having a spa and a therapy session right at home. A hot back at night can help you relax your body while your mind listens to soothing tunes.

Try Making Music

More engaging than simply listening to music, making music can be relaxing and an outlet for creative release. If you have an old musical instrument sitting around collecting dust, pull it out of storage and give it a try.

You don’t have to be good at it to get the benefits of playing instruments and songwriting. The practice of self-expression is valuable, outside of inherent musical value. It can improve self-esteem and give you a good outlet for difficult emotions.

Music therapy as a professional service can provide a lot of important benefits. If you’re unsure about signing up for music therapy programs, you can still get many benefits simply by having music on more often and listening to it in targeted ways.

Use the BetterSleep app for more than just meditation and sleep tips. The playlists can help everyone from children to young adults to adults get relief from stress, physical ailments, and a difficult day. With the October calendar, we make it easier for you to stick with this healthy self-care habit.