Normally, if someone knows me for any length of time, it comes up that I play the violin. I’m surprised that my violin playing hasn’t really come up in this blog yet, except in my bio.
I was originally thinking of writing a post about how to play the violin sustainably. Playing an instrument does have an environmental impact, from the materials used to make the instrument to all the paper used for sheet music, and I may still write about this topic in the future.
However, I realized that what struck more of a chord in me (no pun intended) was the connection between climate anxiety and the emotional release that comes from playing and listening to music. So in this post, I will dive into how music can help us cope with climate anxiety!
What is climate anxiety?
There are a lot of crises right now, including the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and plastic pollution, not to mention political and economic upheaval. All these big things outside our control can bring up different emotions. In our society, we tend to repress our emotions—I know I do this. However, it’s important to acknowledge and express our feelings, particularly related to climate change.
The climate crisis can bring up different kinds of emotions—to help name what you’re feeling, check out the Climate Emotions Wheel by the Climate Mental Health Network. However, one of the more common emotions is anxiety.
Climate anxiety or eco-anxiety is worry about changes to our natural environment and what that means for the planet and our future on it. This anxiety may emerge through directly experiencing the impacts of climate change or through consuming news and other content about climate change. In a 2021 study of youth aged 16 to 25 across 10 countries, 59% were very or extremely worried about climate change and 84% were at least moderately worried.
I explore how music can help us cope with climate anxiety below. But if you need more ways to cope, check out these tips and resources from the University of Colorado Boulder, Time magazine and the UBC Climate Hub.
How playing music can help with climate anxiety
I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved in community music-making for many years, including playing the violin in community orchestras and playing the clarinet in my high school concert band. Anyone who has ever played music in a group will tell you there’s something special about playing music with others!
Through playing music, you can express your emotions and focus on something other than work, climate change or whatever else is stressing you. Playing music also brings people together in community—which we know helps build climate resilience. Plus, it’s fun and creative! For more about the mental health benefits of playing music, including for reducing stress and anxiety, check out this article from the Merit School of Music.
I realize that not everyone has access to learning an instrument or making music in a group setting. If you don’t have the chance to make music yourself, attending community music performances is a way to experience the benefits secondhand (and often cheaper than attending professional concerts)!
How listening to music can help with climate anxiety
Many of us naturally turn to music as a way to cope with life’s challenges. Listening to music can calm us down, distract us, and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. A song might amplify an existing emotion or help us shift to a different one—just think of putting on an upbeat song to boost your mood or feeling a sudden wash of emotions when listening to a song from your childhood! Listening to music can be one way to cope when you’re feeling anxious about climate change.
For more on the psychological benefits of listening to music, check out this article from Verywell Mind.
Music recommendations to cope with climate anxiety
Everyone has unique taste in music. Here are a few songs that help me calm down and feel better about the state of the world. Some of them are clichéd in the classical music world, but they’re popular for a reason!
- Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber. There’s a reason that this piece was played a lot after 9/11 and other disasters. It’s beautiful in a sad way with uplifting moments.
- Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel (Pachelbel’s Canon). This piece has a very steady tempo and repetitive melody, which makes it a great piece for practising box breathing and other breathing techniques!
- Nimrod from Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar. This short piece has a lovely melody and beautiful sound with real emotion behind it.
- Little Symphony. For anyone looking for ambient music, Little Symphony combines natural sounds from around the world with orchestral sounds!
Using music to cope with climate anxiety
From the changing climate to other disasters, there are lots of reasons to feel anxious these days. Playing and listening to music is one way to cope and find strength in these challenging times!
I want to know: What’s your experience using music to cope with climate anxiety? Do you have any music recommendations to add to the list?
Categories and tags:
Share this post:
Sound advice (pun intended).
Ha ha, thanks!