Music and Mental Health in India
At the center of the universe is a sound vibration from which every element of creation flows. Nature all around us is capable of harnessing harmonious music. It is no wonder that our ancestors, with their eternal quest, looked towards the science of music as a healing art form that can take the receptive listener to his/her own true self.
The backbone of music in India, that which touches all our hearts are the Ragas. Be it the bandishes and thumris or the bhajans and kirtans, all of them set to melodious Raagas are expressions of Supreme devotion to the Divine and Mother Nature evoking a range of emotions in the listeners.
In detailing the origins of music as a healing modality in India, a study speaks about the Raga Chikitsa, an ancient text which elaborates on the therapeutic role of musical melodies
Listening to certain ragas, for example ‘Desi-todi’, for 30 minutes every day for 20 days has been shown to produce a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and to enhance feelings of life satisfaction, experience of hope and optimism.
Ragas such as ‘Abhogi’, ‘Kanada’, and ‘Khamaj’ bring calmness to an individual. Ragas such as ‘Kapi’, ‘Mohanam’, and ‘Hamsadhwani’ bring joy. All these ragas have proven to show significant improvements in psychological well-being.
Music and Mental Health Recovery
Various studies have shown music therapy to be effective in certain therapeutic treatments for various mental health conditions.
Therapeutic effects of music can be seen in people suffering from insomnia, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, developmental delays and other childhood psychiatric conditions as well.
Let us understand how music contributes to improving mental health:
- Provides an opportunity to appreciate solitude and find meaning in life.
- Promotes heightened awareness of one's internal world.
- Helps lower anxiety by inhibiting effects of stress hormones and helps lower pulse rate and lowers blood pressure.
- Facilitates emotional expression and response in children with autism and motor system dysfunctions.
- Helps release dopamine and endorphins which creates positive moods in those battling depression.
- Helps to enhance long term well-being in patients suffering from schizophrenia.
Music as a Coping Tool for Everyday Living
Here are some creative ways that you can use music to enhance your mental well being:
- Listen to some soothing, devotional music for emotional self care.
- Listen to motivational music to motivate yourself to workout.
- Listen to instrumental music while doing your work to improve your concentration.
- Try and listen to introspective music while you are engrossed in thinking about larger aspects of life.
- Listen to Hindustani Classical music to process and manage negative emotions.
Effect of Music on Mind and Body
“Listening to music brings out the best in an individual, helping us reach our optimal functioning both at mind and body levels.”
- Helps improve cognitive performance and illness acceptance.
- Promotes mindful eating.
- Helps you to manage pain effectively.
- Enhances your memory power.
- Boosts the immune system's effectiveness.
- Helps with cardiovascular health.
- Improves your body’s performance during exercise.
- Decreases tiredness and fatigue.
Devotional Music and Mental Health
“Devotional music is an expression of love and gratitude towards god/ the divine self.”
Music and art in Indian or Hindu culture have always been an elevated spiritual medium to recognize the Lord's presence in one's heart, to sing His glories and to become aware of one's true nature.
In modern psychology, music is said to have four functions as per an extensive study - social, emotional, self related and arousal related functions.
If we do a comparative study, we find that devotional music fulfills this criteria, even going beyond the functions of the mind and ego as we see in the ideas of spirituality and transcendence in transpersonal and transcendental psychology.
Devotional music helps us to connect with our authentic self, it allows us to reflect on the purpose and deeper meaning of life, it helps us to cultivate virtues of compassion, tolerance, faith and harmony.
It has even played a fundamental role in building emotional regulation, calmness, concentration, memory and good quality of sleep in patients suffering from mental health concerns.
The human nervous system responds to ancient, powerful Sanskrit Mantras such that it has a rejuvenating impact on the body, mind and spirit.
The rhythms of Indian devotional music in the form of bhajans, kirtans, chants, prayers etc enable us to connect to our innermost selves whose nature is freedom and happiness.
It is a form of prayer that helps one to connect with the higher power and allows one’s attention to be still and aware in a natural state which is referred to as mindfulness awareness in psychology. Mindfulness awareness facilitates a sense of oneness and wholeness that extends beyond the self.
“ Experience the healing power of music by immersing yourself in our playlist created for emotional well-being! ”
