Music has been around since the beginning of time. Over the years, it has become something that people listen to daily. Whether that be listening to it on a phone, computer, record player, CD player, or through the radio. Some people usually play music while they’re working out to get some motivation, while others play music to concentrate on their work, and others use it for relaxation. However, one thing that I feel people overlook when listening to music is how beneficial it is for people when they’re feeling stressed and want to feel more relaxed. 

According to a study done by the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), they stated that “Music is effective for relaxation and stress management.” They claimed that slower tempo songs can help relax the muscles thus releasing tension and stress from the body. This is due to alpha brain waves in the brain that cause people to feel more relaxed due to music, according to UNR. 

They have also claimed that the best music for relaxation for revealing stress is Celtic Native American music, Indian stringed-instruments, wind instruments, and drums. Rain and thunder sounds mixed with music such as jazz music has also proven to be effective for relieving stress. UNR has also stated that people have to first like the song that they’re listening to inorder to feel relaxed or else it will cause tension within the person due to them forcing themselves to like a certain song. 

As a college student, I also tend to listen to music when I feel stressed, especially during finals or exams. I know for a fact that I’m not the only student who doesn’t do this. If you ask any student on campus if they think music is a great stress reliever they most likely will say yes. As I walk through the campus, I always see people with earbuds/headphones in between classes. I also see students listening to music while taking exams in class all the time, which doesn’t surprise me at all. Maybe it’s a way for them to relieve the tension that they have about the test.