BY KAHLA STATEMA | The Statesman During these last couple weeks of the semester, students can be found scurrying through the halls or slouched over their computers...but they’ll most likely be listening to music.
Whether it’s hip-hop, screamo, classic rock or ambient, music is a well-recognized way to help chill the ‘F’ out.
According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is “used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals.”
At Access Music Therapy in Duluth, owner and certified music therapist Jody Tucker offers individual and group music therapy to children, teens, adults and seniors. Tucker uses music therapy for those with developmental disabilities, special needs and mental health disorders.
Tucker offers a class called Hearts in Harmony which can provide an opportunity for college students to learn a technique that may help reduce their anxiety and stress.
“When it comes to someone with anxiety, we work on emotion regulation,” Tucker said.
In an article done by the American Psychological Association regarding recent research on music therapy, it was found that music can improve a person’s immune system and reduce their stress levels.
“Music helps me focus,” student Ashley Schafer said. “I don’t like it too quiet when I work and people don’t bug me when I have earbuds in.”
According to Tucker, there isn’t a best type of music to listen to. Her advice is to listen to feel-good music and to keep the tempo in mind.
Faster music can help make someone feel more alert and concentrated whereas music with a slower tempo can help someone feel more relaxed. Soft, ambient music is shown to be the best music to listening to when studying. It can help lower blood pressure and heart rate, resulting in less stress.
Research shows that listening to Mozart’s music can potentially improve mental performance for a short amount of time. This is called the Mozart Effect.
“Just like two pendulums on a clock ... as they’re both swaying back and forth, eventually they will sync together,” Tucker said. “And that’s the same thing with music and our bodies. Our bodies are rhythmic.” To get more info on music therapy classes, call Jody Tucker at 218-349-1792.