You probably have first-hand experience of how music can change your mood and improve your performance. But there is mounting evidence that music can also be used to make massive improvements to your family life.
For hundreds of years, music has been used as a natural remedy for illness and to improve psychological states. Today, the power of music is no longer attributed to mystical properties. Science is stepping in, explaining exactly how music works its magic on us, both psychologically and physiologically.
When it comes specifically to the effects of soothing music, we can see a number of applications to help dramatically improve family life.
Research shows that music, and calming music in particular, leads to a substantial reduction in stress-inducing hormones like cortisol.
In a medical setting, music has been shown to reduce anxiety levels more effectively than medications. Along with this, music also speeds up the human stress response.
Translated, this means that listening to calm music on the way home from work can eliminate leftover anxiety from the office. Regular listening can also help your stress levels recover more quickly after an argument, or an anxious time with the kids.
Time spent feeling under the weather is time wasted. Not only from being absent from work, but also from missing out on quality time with your loved ones. To combat this, most people will start crafting the best bodyweight workout apps to be anywhere The best bodyweight workout apps to be anywhere You don't need anything but your own body to tone up and strengthen all your muscles. Forget the expensive gym membership and try the best bodyweight workout apps to get fit. Read More healthier lifestyle. Read more.
A less used tool to improve your immune system is music. Analyzing 400 related studies, Professor Daniel J. Levitin found that listening to music increases both immunoglobulin and natural killer cell counts. Immunoglobulin is a critical antibody in the immune system. Natural killer cells help your body attack invading bacteria and germs.
This neurochemical effect of music on the immune system not only serves to improve recovery times, but also as a preventive.
Although not specifically related to relaxing music, listening to the right tunes to work. Science Says This is how to do a perfect workout Playlist Science Days This is how to do a perfect workout Playlist The number of beats in a song can change how you feel. Now, use clean software to make your own exercise playlists with the right kind of songs and boost your exercise sessions. Read More
Levitin believes there are two possible causes of these effects. “Either the music acts as a distractor (and distractors are known to modulate pain levels [so you can continue to beat your previous personal best] or the music acts as a mood enhancer.”
However music works during your workouts, this added encouragement understandably trickles down to a healthier, happier home life.
The effects of sleep loss on mood are quite drastic. According to Zohar et al., this is because "sleep loss amplifies the negative emotional effects of events and reduces the positive effect of events." This can make you feel agitated, irritable, and hostile. The perfect mood to ruin a great day with the family..
Luckily, you guessed it, quiet music can help. When listening to songs with a slow bpm (60-80), your heart rate will decrease and your breathing will slow down, which will help you fall asleep more quickly. Spotify actually created a playlist full of such songs. Although other research suggests that classical music may be particularly helpful in curbing insomnia.
Listening to the right kind of music when you wake up How to wake up to your favorite music every morning How to wake up to your favorite music every morning Mornings can be tough, but the right music can help you start your day off on the right foot. Here you will discover how to choose the right songs and turn them into the perfect alarm. Read More
Music can help both calm unruly kids and boost their school grades.
Those calming effects and emotional responses we talked about earlier? They apply to both children and adults. In the British Journal of the Sociology of Education, background music was shown to improve academic performance and behavior in children (especially those with learning difficulties or a history of disruption). The effects also extended to “Improving cooperation and reducing aggression.” Other studies have found similar effects in children with ADHD.
When it comes to soothing your kids before bed, or forcing them to do their homework, music may have been the missing ingredient.
If you want your home to reap all these benefits from music, there's no better time to start than now. Most of these benefits come from soothing music, that we've shared a playlist The Most Relaxing Songs of All Time, According to Science The Most Relaxing Songs of All Time, According to Science "The most relaxing melody ever" is really a thing , and scientists have determined a Top 10 list of relaxing songs. It's about time we revisit some of those more reassuring numbers. Read More But creating your own is quite easy.
Once you've found the music you want to play in your home, you can simply play it through your current speakers, from a CD, or just listen to a relaxing radio station. But a much more convenient and future-proof option is to use a wireless speaker system that lets you play the music of your choice in multiple rooms of your home, from any device.
One of the leading (and premium) wireless speaker systems comes from Sonos. Each speaker, while extremely high quality, will set you back anywhere from $200 to $600 each. Through the Sonos app, you can stream music from almost any device through more than 40 streaming services.
Each Sonos speaker you buy acts as a bridge, expanding your network coverage, so you can stream music in even the largest home. Since each speaker is always “on”, you can start broadcasting to all (or specific) speakers in seconds.
Another leading wireless speaker system is Google's Chromecast Audio. Unlike Sonos (read a side-by-side comparison Sonos vs. Chromecast Audio:Which is Best for You? Sonos vs. Chromecast Audio:Which is Best for You? A lot of people seem to think that Sonos and Chromecast Audio are the same While their primary purpose might be the same, the differences between them are huge... Read More), with Chromecast Audio, you can turn any of your speakers into a Wi-Fi-enabled speaker.
This is possible with Sonos. But with the Sonos Connect and Sonos Connect:Amp costing so much compared to $35 for Chromecast Audio, that price is a tough pill to swallow. There's a big difference in audio quality, but is it worth the extra cost? That's up to you.
The Chromecast Audio is a device that plugs into the 3.5mm, RCA, or Optical ports on each of your speakers. You'll then be able to stream music to one or more of your speakers via a wide range of compatible music player apps (excluding iTunes and Apple Music), from any device.
If you're heavily involved in the Apple ecosystem, you probably use iTunes and Apple Music. If so, Chromecast Audio may not be for you. However, AirPlay is definitely worth considering, as it essentially redirects the media you're playing on your Apple devices to a compatible speaker or Apple TV. This works with most major streaming music apps.
When you turn on a compatible speaker for the first time, simply give that speaker access to your Wi-Fi network. Once enabled, you can easily choose which device(s) you want to stream your audio.
When it comes to choosing the best AirPlay speaker, there's a decent range to choose from. The service supports Sonos, many Libratone speakers, including the highly recommended Libratone Zipp, and other AirPlay speakers we've covered before. The best AirPlay speakers you can buy right now The best AirPlay speakers you can buy right now Read More .
Amazon Echo is “A hands-free speaker you control with your voice.” In the context of this article, you can ask the Echo to stream specific music, or types of music, from a variety of applications. These include Prime Music, Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and a couple more.
As time goes on, the Echo is routinely updated, supporting even more apps that go far beyond music streaming. For example, you can ask the device to order an Uber, place a takeout order, and interact with other smart home devices. This could be a definite way to improve your family life!
The advancement in wireless audio technology has made it easier than ever to introduce music to every corner of your home. Even if you don't want to splash out on all wireless speaker systems, you can use Bluetooth speakers. The Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $25 and Up to $300 The Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $25 and Up to $300 You can't beat the convenience of going wireless. Great audio quality may always need wired speakers, but for music on your phone, Bluetooth speakers are a must-have accessory these days. Read more . The audio quality is not that great, and the range is not that far. But they tend to match even the tightest of budgets.
Once set up, you can use any of this technology to reap all the benefits and benefits of the relaxing music mentioned in this article. From reducing stress, to improving your sleep. Feel free to thank us later!
To you:have you tried using music to improve your family life? If so, how was it? What songs, artists and playlists would you recommend?
