Spotify, a well-known app used for its free music, provides many services and music that help with mental health. From providing mental health podcasts, different types of background noise, and various other playlists used to help with mental health, they offer various tools to help people manage their mental health.
Different background noises, such as white, pink, and brown noise, can help with various mental health needs.
White noise, the most popular, is also known as “broadband noise,” as stated in a WebMD article. White noise can help with lowering ADHD symptoms, reducing crying in babies, improving sleep, and improving work performance. Sounding as if blowing on a microphone, white noise is made up of various frequencies played simultaneously, creating this effect. “Somehow, I feel it helped me sleep because I focused more on the white noise, I guess versus whatever was going on around me,” said Oak Ridge senior Brie Sublett after testing out listening to white noise as she slept.
Pink noise acts as a constant background noise. It is known to help with anxiety, memory loss, and insomnia. Pink noise helps with indulging in a deeper sleep, which helps with intense concentration once awake. Pink noise has a lower pitch than white noise, focusing more on gentle and soft noises.
Brown noise is also referred to as red noise. It is a deep rumbling sound similar to white and pink noise. Studies have shown that brown noise “might help lower symptoms if you have ringing in your ears. It’s also shown to improve your thinking skills,” said WebMD.
These noises help block out all other things when sleeping. As they are mainly used as a way to ease into slumber, these noises help block out other surrounding sounds and focus closer in on sleep.
Podcasts are also another great resource for helping mental health. “[They] can help to reduce anxiety, provide emotional support and gain new perspectives on life,” according to My Wellbeing.
Podcasts like “Therapy Thoughts” discuss topics beyond mental health. “I feel that whenever I listen to Therapy Thoughts, I feel better about myself afterward because of all the positive reinforcement being brought into the episodes,” said St. Francis senior Kasey McAtee.
Other topics within the podcasts range from eating disorders to anxiety to body image. These podcasts help listeners feel comfortable with themselves and discuss other issues revolving around the podcast’s topic.
Podcasts are great to listen to when driving, walking, or whenever you have free time. They are easy to access on Spotify or YouTube.
Additional resources, such as guided meditations, help with anxiety as well. When meditating, you take time out of your day to relax your body and mind by breathing. Focusing on breathing reduces anxiety by controlling the nervous system. In doing this, you are telling your body to calm down and relax.
These guided meditations can be found on Spotify and YouTube by searching “Guided Meditation.”
