The Benefits of Hammock Meditation With Music

Different things in the environment could trigger your stress and anxiety. Among these are the workloads in the office, heavy traffic, and even your problems. It is quite challenging to deal with your day-to-day responsibilities, especially if you have these things that burden you. That's why unwinding from stress is significant in keeping you mentally and emotionally stable. One useful technique that guarantees relaxation is meditating with music. Using a hammock, you can perform many meditative practices that can help you alleviate your anxiety.

Why You Should Use A Hammock in Meditation

Meditation comes in several forms: the most famous are the sitting and standing meditation. Besides that, you can also use things like a hammock to do specific poses that can help you meditate. Some of you might be wondering why there is a need to use a hammock in mediating. Hammocks are proven to be effective in improving sleep quality. It is because they reduce stress in the muscles, helping you relax more. Not only that, but hammocks can also boost your energy and improve your focus during the day. These things are essential if you want to enter the realm of mindfulness. Concentration is significant for you to get rid of your negative thoughts that contribute to mental stress.

Why You Should Incorporate Music in Meditation

Besides using a hammock, you may also add music to your meditation. Although some people prefer complete silence when doing meditative practices, others like to have relaxing background music. It could be a good start for those who are just beginning their journey towards mindfulness. But other than that, there are several advantages that you can do when you incorporate music into your hammock meditation. Some of the benefits are as follow:

#1 Music has powerful effects on the brain.

According to Jonathan Burdette, M.D., music can affect people in different ways. It is something that can provide you with a personal experience. Burdette studied how music preferences can affect functional brain connectivity. In his study, he found out that the listeners' preferences impact brain connectivity. It is mostly seen on a brain circuit that is focused on empathy, thought, and self-awareness. This circuit is called the default mode network.

The study also demonstrated that the default mode network was poorly connected when the participants were listening to the music they disliked. Contrary to it, the said network is better connected when listening to the music they liked. Imagine if you are listening to your favourite songs while meditating. You can improve your brain functions and achieve better relaxation. According to the researchers, listening to favourite songs can alter the connectivity between auditory brain areas and a region responsible for memory and social emotion consolidation.

#2 Music has similar rewards relevant to striatal dopaminergic systems.

In a study, researchers found out that listening to music can lead to dopamine release. It was done through neurochemical specificity of [11C]raclopride positron emission tomography scanning and psychophysiological measures of autonomic nervous system activity. It was demonstrated that the emotional response to music could cause dopamine release in the striatal system. 

Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter that sends messages between the nerve cells. Your body is capable of making dopamine, which is used by the nervous system. It is usually called a chemical messenger that plays a vital role in how you feel pleasure. It helps you focus, think, and strive. Having little or a large amount of dopamine can cause several health issues. That's why it is essential to balance it, in which music can help.

How Meditation Improves Your Overall Health

Meditation alone has a lot of health benefits. No wonder many people are getting interested in doing mindfulness activities. From practicing proper techniques to performing hammock meditation, letting go of your stress through meditation practices can improve your wellness. Here's how:

#1 It calms your nervous system.

Practicing daily meditation is good for the mind because it helps you redirect your focus from negative to positive thoughts. According to experts, meditation is significant in activating the parasympathetic and quieting the sympathetic nervous system. As a result, meditation practitioners lower their blood levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Other than that, meditation can also result in lower respiration rates and heart rate and better blood flow to the brain. Therefore, there could be less constriction of blood vessels when you meditate regularly.

#2 It boosts your immune system. 

Having a robust immune system is vital to prevent your body from getting diseases. The way you think and feel can affect how your immune system works. Meditation has a positive impact on your immune system. It can increase the electrical impulses in the same brain areas that stimulate the immune system.

#3 It optimizes your circulatory system.

When you are in a meditative state, your blood pressure decreases, and your heart rate becomes optimal. These benefit your circulatory system because they allow your body to improve your oxygenation levels.

Aside from the list above, meditation can provide other benefits. Other than improving your wellness, meditation can also help you gain more friends. Online or not, there are small communities out there that revolve around meditation practitioners. You can connect them and make friends with people who share the same passion as you.

Many studies have already proven the benefits of meditation. And since there are also advantages to using a hammock, you can incorporate it when doing meditative practices. Doing so can enhance the effectiveness of meditation, helping you improve your mental and emotional health. You may consider doing hammock meditation daily to assist you in relaxation. Besides, you can meditate anytime and anywhere you like, giving you a flexible schedule. Make sure to meditate in your spare time for at least 15 minutes and see how it can do wonders for your overall health.