If you have anxiety, you know that dreaded feeling of panic rising up through you, making your heart race and your eyes fly open in the middle of the night. What do you do to soothe yourself? Maybe you call a loved one or sit on your phone for a while to distract yourself. Or maybe you turn on your favorite show on Netflix for a while. Although all of these have just one thing in common. They only distract you momentarily from the anxiety instead of vanquishing it. Once you hang up that phone, you may still feel nervous inside and the same goes for when you put down your phone and turn off the TV. I have faced the same exact problems. That was until I made a Spotify playlist for my anxiety attacks.
I honestly don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier because it’s such a simple solution to such a complex issue. According to a study from Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson of Mindlab International, listening to music can help reduce anxiety and stress levels by 65%! I’m liking those odds.
So what kinds of music should you put on your anti-anxiety playlist? The answer is whatever soothes you or makes you happy! It should not be songs that get you riled up, especially if you are trying to sleep, but songs with a positive tone and message. They should all be songs that you enjoy listening to and that calms your mind. Maybe for you that may be classical music or maybe the Jonas Brothers put you in a good mood. Whatever floats your boat!
I just started my own playlist after doing some research so I will include a screenshot of that for some reference. If you want to use these songs for yourself, go for it! I prefer slow songs with a lot of instrumental. It’s a small playlist at the moment but hopefully, when I find more songs I like, it will accumulate.