“If music be the food of love, play on,” William Shakespeare wrote in the comedy Twelfth Night. Studies show that listening to music can have lasting health benefits. A study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing noted that music can help reduce chronic pain by 21% and lessen symptoms of depression by 25%. Even without consulting science, you’re aware of the wonders of listening to relaxing music. Have you tried playing your classics playlist after a long tedious day? You may not have been fully conscious of it, but your blood pressure level dropped, your muscles relaxed, and your breathing evened.
Skip the after-work trip to the bar and stay in your DMCI condo instead. Grab a jug of chilled fruit juice and bring your iPod or MP3 player for a relaxing musical journey at the sky lounge. Here are 9 of the best songs for relaxation.
Relax with a classical music ensemble
According to the American Society of hypertension, listening to at least 30 minutes of classical music every day can lower blood pressure levels. You have endless choices of classical pieces for your playlist, from the Renaissance, Baroque and Romantic periods, among others. There are piano concertos, violin solos, and full-ensemble performances. For your list of best songs for relaxation, download Arthur Rubinstein’s interpretations of Chopin’s Noctures and Evgeny Kissin’s take on the Rachmaninov masterpiece Piano Concerto No. 2.
Have a soothing night with an opera piece
A stressful lifestyle can negatively impact your sleeping habits. If you can’t quiet down your thoughts, you’d likely suffer from difficulties in falling and staying asleep. Relaxing music can be your key to quality sleep at night. Researchers suggest that listening to soothing music for 45 minutes before bedtime can help you attain a restful night. It reduces sympathetic nervous system activity, relaxes the muscles, and lessens mental noise. An hour before bedtime, go to the sky lounge, enjoy a glass of warm milk, and put on your earphones. Listen to Henry Purcell’s opera Dido Aeneas under the stars.
Meditate with instrumental music
Meditation is a stress-relieving activity practiced for thousands of years. Its benefits to one’s physical and mental health are accepted facts. Condo living in the Philippines enables busy professionals to find the time and place to relax in the comfort of their condo community. In the morning, you can do yoga poses at the sky lounge while listening to Celtic instrumental music. Feel the warmth of early morning sunlight on your skin.
A daily dose of jazz standards
Studies show that a daily dose of jazz music helps stroke patients recover. A group of Finnish stroke patients were given music therapy for a couple of hours per day. The activity helped them improve their verbal memory and attention span. Jazz, like classical music, was also found to be effective in lowering high blood pressure and slowing breathing rates. Bring Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to your DMCI community via Youtube or Spotify.
Kill stress with chillout bossa nova
Work-related stress, if not addressed immediately, can lead to burnout. Burnout is blamed for a number of serious diseases, including cardiovascular ailments and depression. In extreme cases, it can lead to premature death. Instead of drinking your stress away, why not go to the gym or do laps in the swimming pool? Maximize your condo amenities. You can also enjoy an hour of jazz, blues and bossa nova with Oscar Peterson or some good ol’ jazz samba with Stan Getz.
Bring back memories of the cool 90s
Our musical choices vary depending on our personality and moods. Although you may be a loyal fan of Led Zeppelin, you can also dig new tracks by Kendrick Lamar. The best chillout music also differ per listener. A millennial born in the 80s will always have tracks by Pearl Jam, Candle Box and Live. Any song that stirs good memories and positive emotions can help relax the mind. Listen to your 90s alternative rock playlist while admiring Metro Manila’s skyline at the sky lounge.
Sing your heart away with 80s tracks
The yuletide season is approaching. You can soon expect large crowds in shopping areas, horrendous traffic, and year-end parties everywhere. Save yourself from the hassle of traveling from one event to another by organizing your Christmas get-together in a high-rise condo. You can hold an 80s-inspired reunion with your closest high school friends on the roof deck sky lounge or function area. Play Brenda Russell, Paula Abdul and Whitney Houston and sing/dance to your heart’s content.
Chill with acoustic covers
Do you know that music can boost your immune system? Listening to percussive instruments or singing 30-minute sessions leads to the secretion of immunity-boosting hormones. Listen to Boyce Avenue acoustic covers of your favorite songs. Feel free to sing along on a weekend afternoon while chilling out in your outdoor condo amenities.
Summer music all year ‘round
Music affects mood by encouraging social interaction. “As a means of socially acceptable self-expression, music plays an important role in the communication of feelings and group identity,” according to a study in 1997. Spend quality time with your family and friends in your condo community. You can have a Saturday bonding time at the sky lounge, complete with light snacks and fruit juice. Play Jubel by Klingande and relax in the company of the people nearest to your heart.
Embrace condo living by maximizing the use of indoor and outdoor amenities. Make sure you stay fit via the fully-equipped fitness gym and lap pool. Relax in the game room or landscaped gardens after a tedious day in the office or school. You can also book the sky lounge or function hall for your parties and reunions. The best of modern lifestyle is in your hands.
