Think of a song that instantly changes your mood. Maybe it takes you straight back to a summer years ago, or makes your shoulders drop the moment it begins. Music has a remarkable way of reaching us, often faster than words can.

Many people find that listening with intention, rather than letting music play in the background, can be a lovely way to soften a stressful day.

Every kind of music counts

There’s no right genre for relaxation. For some people it’s slow piano or birdsong. For others it’s jazz, gospel, folk or even loud rock that lets them shake off the day. What matters is how it feels to you. Notice which sounds help you breathe a little more easily.

Four everyday ways to listen

1. One song, fully. Choose a song you love and listen to it from beginning to end without doing anything else. Close your eyes if you like. Follow one instrument all the way through.

2. Music for transitions. Play a calming track as you finish work, before you walk in the front door or while you wash the dishes. It can help your body understand that one part of the day is ending.

3. Move to it. Put on something upbeat and let yourself sway, stretch or dance around the kitchen. Movement and music together can lift a heavy mood.

4. Sing along. Singing slows and deepens your breathing. It doesn’t matter if you’re in tune. The shower, the car and the kitchen are all perfect stages.

Music and meditation

If sitting in silence feels hard, gentle instrumental music or natural sounds can make it easier to settle. Choose something without lyrics so your mind isn’t pulled into the words. Let the music be your anchor: when your attention wanders, simply come back to the sound.

How to do a guided meditation in 5 steps has more on using recordings in your practice.

Listening to the world around you

Music isn’t only what comes through speakers. Rain on the roof, wind in the trees and birdsong in the morning all have their own rhythm. Spending time outside and simply listening can be just as soothing. How time in nature can revitalize your body and restore your soul explores this further.

How little is enough

One song, really listened to, is enough to begin. Try it today: four minutes of music that isn’t scrolling, just you and the sound.

There’s more in this spirit on the Guides page.