Music + restorative yoga
As a yoga teacher, music has been a big part of my life. Before the pandemic, I created weekly playlists for my classes. I currently have over 100 playlists primarily for Vinyasa yoga. Lately, I am making playlists for restorative yoga and am applying a bit of a scientific approach. Since restorative yoga is centered on accessing the body’s rest and digest functions, science shows certain types of music support this.
A little anatomy
The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) are part of the autonomic nervous system. The PNS is responsible for rest and digest, while the SNS is responsible for fight, flight, freeze. When we are healthy these two systems are in balance. That type of balance is not static but more a dance-like movement between the two systems. The SNS is activated when we experience a threat, become anxious or stressed. In these situations the PNS comes in, to restore the body from the affects of the activation of the SNS (i.e. reducing heart rate, blood pressure, balancing the breath, cooling the body, relaxing the muscles and mind). We need both systems and we need to experience them in a balanced state over time.
The primary way your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, is through the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and makes up 75% of your PNS. It runs from the brain down to the large intestine and connects to the heart, lungs, and gastrointestinal organs. The vagus nerve sends messages from the body to the brain and from the brain to the body – 80% of the messages that travel the vagus nerve go from body to brain, while 20% go from brain to body. Music is one way we can stimulate the vagus nerve and in turn the PNS, which ultimately sends messages to the brain that it is time to relax.
The body’s music
When we are talking about music, we are really talking about sound. The great thing is we can make sounds with our bodies alone that stimulate our vagus nerve. Sounds like long audible sighs and deep hums create calming and soothing sensations in the body. Through these sounds we send messages up vagus nerve to the mind saying it is time to relax.
When you practice restorative yoga at home and don’t have a playlist, you can let out several audible sighs and deep hums in each pose. When you do these you may notice a vibration run through your body. You may feel a sense of released of tension that you may or may not have know you were holding. This is particularly effective because you are not only accessing the benefits of sound but also of the breath, which is another way to stimulate the vagus nerve.
Tips for creating playlists
Everyone responds to music differently. We all have unique memories and experiences with music. A song I find soothing may actually be a song you find stressful. If you are making a playlist for others, the best you can do is take time listening to the songs while being in restorative poses yourself and attune to whether they support a restful state. After you lead a restorative class, it is a good idea to implement any feedback you get receive from your students into your next playlist.
The goal is not to put people to sleep with music but to support them in being a conscious resting state. Generally, slow tempo songs are best for supporting the body’s rest and digest functions. You may also consider avoiding music with lyrics as it could take people out of their body and into their memories or a more active mind space. The music is meant to compliment the restorative poses and provide the opportunity to experience rest and digest on a whole body level.
Below are some examples of artists whose music aligns with these ideas and qualities.
Nala Sinephro - “A Caribbean-Belgian composer, producer and musician living in London. Her music fuses meditative sounds, jazz sensibilities, folk and field recordings. Her musical practice is rooted in the study of frequency and geometry and guided by the premise that sound moves matter.”
Mary Lattimore - “A Los Angeles-based harpist who typically augments her graceful harp improvisations with electronic effects, emphasizing the instrument's ethereal qualities while conjuring up fascinating new sonic vistas.”
Beautiful Chorus - “Referred to as ‘high frequency love music’ by their fans, BEAUTIFUL CHORUS is lead by Alexandra Love, who started the group to spread a harmony-infused soundscape of interconnectedness, ease, and joy.”
