Music for the Mind ??

Music can have a profound effect on our mental well-being and productivity. It triggers a release of dopamine in your brain which has an integral influence on your mood.?

Moving overseas to work at a summer camp for 10 weeks can be a daunting prospect and a stressful time. In this article, I will discuss how you can use music effectively in order for you to manage your emotions in the best way possible.

Dance/Electronic & Rock?

Although these genres are polar opposites, they're fantastic to listen to whilst exercising. This is due to a number of musical reasons which I have outlined below:

• Tempo - This plays a huge role in setting the level of intensity needed to carry out your exercise efficiently. The higher the tempo, the quicker you will perform.
• Rhythm - This coincides with tempo and is a huge factor in House music in particular. The consistent rhythm in House music can help you perform repetitive workouts that may be more physical.
• Key - This factor contributes to your mood. Listening to music in a major key will provide you with motivation and is good for cardio. Listening to music in a minor key provides you with focus and can be good for strength-building exercises.

Dance/Electronic & Rock can also be useful genres to listen to when concentrating on strenuous and mundane tasks. It can keep you motivated and focused on the task at hand whether it be inside or outside of camp!

Progressive House, LoFi Hip Hop & Alternative Indie

These genres are great to listen to when winding down after a long and tiring day. The tempo of these genres tends to be slower which therefore causes alpha brainwaves.?

Alpha brainwaves are present when we are calm and composed and occur when the brain synchronizes with the beat of a track. Therefore, the slower the tempo, the more relaxed you will feel.

Listening to slower music is also beneficial when carrying out stressful tasks at camp. It can play a huge part in creating a better mental state and make you feel less anxious. It can also have a physical effect on you, relaxing your muscles and making you feel less tense. This can also be useful if you are feeling apprehensive at the start of your time at camp.

Conclusion

I would recommend finding the time to listen to music for an hour every day. This could be in the morning before you go to breakfast, while exercising, winding down after a long productive day at camp, or focusing on tasks outside of camp.

I would also encourage you to share music with your colleagues at camp and provide them with this advice, especially if they are struggling.

There are plenty of ways to access music nowadays. You can use streaming platforms such as Spotify & Apple Music. Both of these use algorithms to provide you with recommended songs based on what you are listening to.?

Spotify Playlist

You can find a link to my Camp Canada Spotify playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Csbme8qFlfpmeHOM1XYpx