Today's topic concerns how and why massage therapists use music during their sessions. Well, I can't really speak for all therapists, only myself. But parallels can probably be drawn between us in the business.
Two main reasons come to mind as to why. First, music serves as a distraction from the silence you'd otherwise hear during the course of your session. Second, music (or sounds) are used to play on your nervous system to help calm you and your muscles to relax. How this works is thought to happen in your brainwave activity. A faster, more pronounced wave is associated with alertness, cognizant increases, focusing, etc. A slower wave indicates a more relaxing set of activities. The type of music you listen to triggers different brainwave patterns and your body, physiology and mood alter accordingly.
Music therapy is said to be a growing aspect of alternative health care because of the results of research in this area of neurological study. Although both music and sounds are being studied, music seems to be the primary focus, though sounds do have certain responses in patients studied.
Typical massage music encourages slower brainwave activity. When this happens, the autonomic nervous system is eventually affected in the following ways: client's breathing and heart rate slow, their relaxation response is triggered, internalized stress levels drop and neurons connecting muscles to the brain slow-fire, allowing muscles and other soft tissue to relax. A positive state of mind is induced biochemically preventing the stress response, particularly corticotropin and cortisol (although other markers were not as conclusive).
Having said all this, individuals are different as night and day. What calms some, drives others crazy according to their taste in music and sound. What works for you is what's important when it comes to your massage session. It's important to have a dialog with your therapist concerning which music will be played during your massage.
Music is NOT played for the benefit of the therapist! While it gives both parties something to listen to in an otherwise quiet room for an hour or two, your session is all about YOU!
My clients are encouraged to bring any music they wish to listen to during their sessions. I always ask my clients if the music playing is good for them. If not, I have a selection of other music or sounds they may choose from or they may bring their own if they prefer.
While part of this blog got kind of technical, I find it pretty interesting stuff. I hope you enjoyed it, too. Stay well and play that relaxing stuff at home!
Till next time!
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