With this irrepressible urge to put myself a cut above the dullards in my circle I once in a while even
I wasn’t a morning person, not unless you consider someone who wakes up at 10 am to be a morning person. But then, a few years ago, I got married which says a lot about why I wake up at the ungodly hour of 6 am these days. No, I didn’t have to do household chores but waking up early was crucial to create a good impression.
After years of my mother telling me to wake up early, I finally had to do it and that too without her throwing open the bedroom door and tugging at the blankets. But where mamu couldn’t come in for help, music did. For most people, listening to music is an important, daily activity. But listening to music early in the morning can not only help you have an early start, but also set a positive tone to the rest day.
Now I’ve come to enjoy these quiet morning hours. Waking up early not only gives me some extra time for myself, but also allows me the luxury of not having to rush from one task to the next while getting ready to leave for work. I can drink my coffee in peace, read a little, have a leisurely stroll in the garden and play with my dogs. All this helps me start the day on a positive note.
Here’s how you can use music to morph from a grumpy morning person to someone who enjoys this peaceful time of the day, warming your face against the early rays of the sun.
Choose the right music
With so many types of music available, finding what exactly gets you out of the bed can be a harrowing task. But once you figure this out, getting up in the morning isn’t as difficult as it might seem initially. However, you do not want to be that person who listens to blues songs when you are willing yourself to get out of bed and start the day right. Choose something that will get you out of bed and into the groove.
But different kinds of music have us feeling different things. While some work in calming us down, some kinds of music really get us all worked up. You have to first decide which mood you want to start your day with. Do you want it to be a peaceful start or would you rather prefer to tackle you day on highly energetic notes? Depending on this, decide whether you want to wake up to slow classical beats or more peppy upbeat songs.
Set the main song as your alarm tone
Once you have your choice of music sorted, it’s very easy from there on. Set a song you really like as your alarm tone. Waking up to your favorite tune can instantly put you in a better mood. You will find yourself moving along and getting things done quickly. Before you know it you will be out of bed, into the shower and off to work, already having accomplished all the menial chores around the house. Here are my top five all time favorite songs to wake up to: With a little help from my friends by The Beatles, Ready or not by Bridgit Mendler, Wouldn’t it be nice by Beach Boys, Feeling good by Nina Simone, and I’m like a bird by Nelly Furtado.
Create a feel good playlist
From my experience I recommend you create a daily playlist. Don’t listen to the same songs on a loop because not only will you get tired of it soon, it can get quite monotonous and it isn’t stimulating to your brain cells at all. You can use Google Music to find songs based on mood and activity. Spotify has a series of recommendations based on past listening history. The amount of code written to help people find new music is staggering, making it easier than ever to find new material. You just have to provide a few of your personal favorites to get things started. And there is free music everywhere these days, as long as you know where to dig. So make a playlist, update it, change it and enjoy it all day long to keep your gray cells alert, active, and soothed.
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And here are five science-backed reasons why you should listen to music more often.
Eases pain
According to a study from the Frontiers in Psychology journal, researchers found that patients with fibromyalgia who listened to music that they liked experienced less pain and had increased motor ability.
Helps with focus
If you need to focus, try listening to music specific to the late baroque period. Researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine discovered that music led to brain changes that boosted attention and memory. The study was published in 2007.
Increases exercise performance
Many fitness experts have recommended people to create a playlist that can energize the body. In several studies, researchers have concluded that fast, upbeat music can push people to workout harder and make the workout more enjoyable.
Boosts mood
A 2011 study published in Nature Neuroscience found that classical music can trigger the brain to release dopamine, which improves mood and can make you feel happier.
Soothes
If you have had a stressful day and want to calm down, try listening to mellow music. A study conducted in 2013 and published in Ergonomics found that listening to mellow music could effectively reduce road rage. The music also improved participants’ driving ability.
