TheraMusic Information

Download the TheraCalm Promo Page PDF HERE

What Is Stress?
Stress can be defined as “the result produced when a structure, system, or organism is acted on by forces that disrupt equilibrium or produce strain” (Thomas, 1997, p. 1845). Essentially stress triggers the body to prepare for a physical threat. Faced with this dilemma the body reacts quickly by releasing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to help us. These hormones are part of the “fight or flight” response and when released by the body during the stressful event they provide an extra boost of strength and endurance by raising our heart rate, blood pressure and metabolic rate to prepare the body for optimal performance. Most of our modern day stressors do not require such a dramatic response, but the same hormones are nonetheless released into our bodies as a natural reaction. According to Radziewicz (2001) over the long term the presence of these hormones can damage our health by permanently altering physiological processes.

So What Causes Stress?
Stress can result from a variety of sources and pressures such as watching the news, juggling the demands of family and work, money worries, and even sitting in traffic. Stress does not only result from unpleasant events such as losing a job, it can also occur alongside positive changes such as moving to a new house. Rout and Rout (2002) explain that an individual’s vulnerability to stress is a combination of a large number of multifaceted factors such as personality, coping strategies adopted, past experiences, ethnicity, gender, social supports, needs, and wants. What is stressful to you might be completely different than what is stressful to your neighbour, friend or co-worker. Sometimes there is no particular reason or incident for developing stress, but rather it arises from a series of smaller irritants. Other top stressors include such things as family conflicts, bereavement, and pressure at work or school.

Stress Problems

When stress continues to pile up, your body has no option but to respond, and the long term effects of stress can disturb almost all of the body’s processes, thus increasing your risk of obesity, digestive problems, insomnia, heart disease and depression. Chronic stress can lead to increases in appetite and subsequent weight gain. It can diminish your immune system and make you more susceptible to catching a cold or other infection, raise cholesterol, and lead to sleep disturbances. In addition to all of these risks, people who are chronically stressed are also vulnerable to experience: brief periods of irritability and apathy; constant anxiety; lack of concentration; excessive tiredness; heart palpitations; and, skin problems, etcetera.

How Does Music Help Reduce Stress?

Numerous clinically based studies provide support for the use of music as an effective intervention in stressful situations in terms of decreasing a patient’s level of anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate (Dubois, Bartier & Pratter, 1995; Kaempf & Amodei, 1989; Bolwerk, 1990; Moss, 1987; and, Steelman, 1990, etcetera). To date many of the music therapy studies in medicine have focused on using music as an anxiolytic (anxiety reducing) intervention by utilizing music with simple repetitive rhythm, predictable dynamics, low pitch, and slow tempos. Brennan & Charnetski (2000) seeking to reduce stress in the workplace studied the effect of music on self-reported stress levels and the immune system and found that music had a striking and lasting reduction on participants’ perceived level of stress. Guzzetta (1989) noticed a cumulative effect for listening to relaxing music and found that heart rate was lower after three music therapy sessions thus suggesting that the beneficial effects of music may be greater with repetitive use. Theracalm has been designed with these principles in mind and will therefore be highly effective in terms of producing relaxing effects each time you listen to it.

Take Control

If you feel like you are suffering from stress try to identify the factors that are causing it, that way you can get to the root of the problem.

Here are a few additional helpful strategies to consider:
- Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet
- Try to exercise on a regular basis
- Share your thoughts and feelings with family and friends
- Try to organize your time more effectively to maximize productivity
- Set realistic goals
- Enjoy yourself by indulging in a favourite hobby
- Embrace and cue your relaxation response by enjoying the benefits of Theracalm

General Benefits of Listening to Relaxing Music

Music has been used in connection with healing practices across the centuries. In the Ancient Greek culture, Apollo who was the God of music and medicine used music to drive out disease and return a person to a state of harmony and order. In modern times, music is used in many facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and clinics to help combat a variety of problems, including using music to reduce anxiety. Relaxing music helps slow down heart rates, breathing, thinking, and enables a person to reach a deeper level of rest and tranquility. It therefore can become a key tool to help relieve stress and calm the mind after a busy day at work.

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Instructions for Use

1. This album may be used as general background music to effect mild stress reduction.
2. For maximum therapeutic effect, use earphones or place speakers for clear stereo effect.
3. Turn on the music at a medium loud level. The effect of the music will be greater if it is not very quiet.
4. Sit back or lie down, close your eyes, and visualize a pleasant memory or peaceful place.
5. As the music starts, listen for the rhythmic pulse of the music and pace your breathing with it: breath in for 2 counts, and out for 3 counts, over and over. Then as you relax, breath in to 3 or 4 counts out to the same number.





	“I am tired all day, but I have trouble falling asleep.” “When I wake up in the middle of the night, I can’t get back to sleep.” Recognize these common complaints experienced by many in our busy, stressed world? Sleep deprivation has a big impact on quality of life, possibly causing attention and memory problems, depressed mood, sleepiness during the day, loss of productivity, and far too many accidents. According to the International Longevity Centre (2003) sleep disorders often begin in mid-life, but many children have trouble sleeping as well. If you experience sleep difficulties, this CD will help you in your journey to get them under control. - Amy Clements-Cortés B.M.T. M.Mus, MTA Download the TheraSleep Promo Page PDF HERE Read our Customers' Testimonials HERE. Sleeping Problems Many things affect sleep at different ages. For example, changes can occur in the length and timing of circadian rhythms, our “biological clock” sleep-wake cycle. Our circadian rhythms can shift and as a result our internal clock may tell us it is time to go to sleep, but it may only be 6 p.m, or it may tell us it is time to be awake but it is midnight. Many sleep disorders are known. We usually first think of insomnia -- characterized by difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, awaking early, and/or having trouble going back to sleep. Another common sleep disorder is sleep apnea, and its symptoms include discontinued breathing or snoring at night, and/or feeling fatigued and tired during the day. Those suffering from sleep apnea are not getting enough oxygen during sleep, and this causes them to wake up frequently. Another problem, “nocturia,” which is the need to void during the night, disrupts the sleeping process. Particularly for the elderly, the presence of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and dementia also impair sleep. In general as we age the depth of our sleep, sometimes referred to as “slow-wave sleep” decreases, while the number of times a person is aroused during sleep increases. In addition to these changes, REM sleep, which is the dreaming stage declines with aging and sleep disorders increase. How Does Music Help Sleep? A recent study published in February 2005 in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, found that listening to soft music at bedtime assisted older adults to sleep better and longer. The positive impact that music has on sleep is not only reserved for older adults. A 2004 study that examined the effects of background music on quality of sleep in elementary school children found that participants who received background music at naptime and bedtime everyday for three weeks had significant improvements in global sleep quality over time. Additional studies focusing on the effects of music on sleep (Levin, 1998; Mornhinweg & Voignnier, 1995; Zimmerman, Nieveen, Barnason & Schamderer, 1996; and Field, 1999) have shown significant benefits of music for: longer sleep duration; less sleep disturbances; falling asleep more quickly; and increases in duration of both deep (delta) and REM sleep. General Benefits of Listening to Relaxing Music Music has been used in connection with healing practices across the centuries. In the Ancient Greek culture, Apollo who was the God of music and medicine used music to drive out disease and return a person to a state of harmony and order. In modern times, music is used in many facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and clinics to help combat a variety of problems, including using music to reduce anxiety. Relaxing music helps slow down heart rates, breathing, thinking, and enables a person to reach a deeper level of rest and tranquility. It therefore can become a key tool to help relieve stress and calm the mind after a busy day at work, and ultimately it can promote better-quality sleep. Brainwave Basics The brain constantly produces electrical activity – the energy of life and thought. A person’s mental state is related to what zone of brainwave activity is dominant: alpha (8-12 pulsations per second) – awake and relaxed; theta (4-7 per second) – deeply relaxed, semi-awake, almost trance-like; beta (12 – 20) – alert, productive thinking; high beta (20 – 30) stressed and anxious; delta (1 – 4 pulsation per second) is the sleep state. Entrainment Entrainment is the synchronization of two or more rhythmic cycles, and musically it is possible to have rhythmic, melodic, and dynamic entrainment. The “beats” or pulsations in the music stimulate the same number of pulsations in the body or brain. If the music features 2, 3 or 4 “beats” per second, the music will influence a person to become sleepy. The music on this TheraSleep CD has been designed with body and brainwave entrainment principles, which are what contribute to its effectiveness in enhancing sleep. On a Personal Note As a music therapist I see the healing powers of music on a daily basis, and recognize how music can positively affect our mood, emotions and environments. Fortunately you do not have to visit a music therapist to take advantage of music’s healing properties. This CD is based on music therapy principles and research regarding the use of sound and music to facilitate sleeping, and will be useful in helping you get to sleep. (email links below) music composed, arranged and produced by David Bradstreet SOCAN research, advice and notes by Amy Clements-Cortés B.M.T. M.Mus, MTA design and layout by LUMA Article from Amy Clements-Cortés "An Artistic Remedy" by Ethan Rotberg www.grammy.com Article on TheraSleep (or click HERE) Chatelaine - full article					"I can’t believe I’m stuck in traffic again. When am I going to finish the presentation for work tomorrow? As the anxiety over that builds up you begin making your evening’s to-do list in your head: make dinner, pay the hydro bill…" Does this sound familiar? Stress is a very prevalent issue in our society affecting virtually all of us at some point in our lives. Stress related medical problems are becoming increasingly more common in today’s fast-paced society. In an ideal world perhaps we could escape from all stressful situations or change them, but realistically that is usually not possible. If you are among the majority of people who experience stress it is important to get it under control and this CD can help you take charge. - Amy Clements-Cortés B.M.T. M.Mus, MTA Download the TheraCalm Promo Page PDF HERE What Is Stress? Stress can be defined as “the result produced when a structure, system, or organism is acted on by forces that disrupt equilibrium or produce strain” (Thomas, 1997, p. 1845). Essentially stress triggers the body to prepare for a physical threat. Faced with this dilemma the body reacts quickly by releasing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to help us. These hormones are part of the “fight or flight” response and when released by the body during the stressful event they provide an extra boost of strength and endurance by raising our heart rate, blood pressure and metabolic rate to prepare the body for optimal performance. Most of our modern day stressors do not require such a dramatic response, but the same hormones are nonetheless released into our bodies as a natural reaction. According to Radziewicz (2001) over the long term the presence of these hormones can damage our health by permanently altering physiological processes. So What Causes Stress? Stress can result from a variety of sources and pressures such as watching the news, juggling the demands of family and work, money worries, and even sitting in traffic. Stress does not only result from unpleasant events such as losing a job, it can also occur alongside positive changes such as moving to a new house. Rout and Rout (2002) explain that an individual’s vulnerability to stress is a combination of a large number of multifaceted factors such as personality, coping strategies adopted, past experiences, ethnicity, gender, social supports, needs, and wants. What is stressful to you might be completely different than what is stressful to your neighbour, friend or co-worker. Sometimes there is no particular reason or incident for developing stress, but rather it arises from a series of smaller irritants. Other top stressors include such things as family conflicts, bereavement, and pressure at work or school. Stress Problems When stress continues to pile up, your body has no option but to respond, and the long term effects of stress can disturb almost all of the body’s processes, thus increasing your risk of obesity, digestive problems, insomnia, heart disease and depression. Chronic stress can lead to increases in appetite and subsequent weight gain. It can diminish your immune system and make you more susceptible to catching a cold or other infection, raise cholesterol, and lead to sleep disturbances. In addition to all of these risks, people who are chronically stressed are also vulnerable to experience: brief periods of irritability and apathy; constant anxiety; lack of concentration; excessive tiredness; heart palpitations; and, skin problems, etcetera. How Does Music Help Reduce Stress? Numerous clinically based studies provide support for the use of music as an effective intervention in stressful situations in terms of decreasing a patient’s level of anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate (Dubois, Bartier & Pratter, 1995; Kaempf & Amodei, 1989; Bolwerk, 1990; Moss, 1987; and, Steelman, 1990, etcetera). To date many of the music therapy studies in medicine have focused on using music as an anxiolytic (anxiety reducing) intervention by utilizing music with simple repetitive rhythm, predictable dynamics, low pitch, and slow tempos. Brennan & Charnetski (2000) seeking to reduce stress in the workplace studied the effect of music on self-reported stress levels and the immune system and found that music had a striking and lasting reduction on participants’ perceived level of stress. Guzzetta (1989) noticed a cumulative effect for listening to relaxing music and found that heart rate was lower after three music therapy sessions thus suggesting that the beneficial effects of music may be greater with repetitive use. Theracalm has been designed with these principles in mind and will therefore be highly effective in terms of producing relaxing effects each time you listen to it. Take Control If you feel like you are suffering from stress try to identify the factors that are causing it, that way you can get to the root of the problem. Here are a few additional helpful strategies to consider: - Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet - Try to exercise on a regular basis - Share your thoughts and feelings with family and friends - Try to organize your time more effectively to maximize productivity - Set realistic goals - Enjoy yourself by indulging in a favourite hobby - Embrace and cue your relaxation response by enjoying the benefits of Theracalm General Benefits of Listening to Relaxing Music Music has been used in connection with healing practices across the centuries. In the Ancient Greek culture, Apollo who was the God of music and medicine used music to drive out disease and return a person to a state of harmony and order. In modern times, music is used in many facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and clinics to help combat a variety of problems, including using music to reduce anxiety. Relaxing music helps slow down heart rates, breathing, thinking, and enables a person to reach a deeper level of rest and tranquility. It therefore can become a key tool to help relieve stress and calm the mind after a busy day at work. - Instructions for Use 1. This album may be used as general background music to effect mild stress reduction. 2. For maximum therapeutic effect, use earphones or place speakers for clear stereo effect. 3. Turn on the music at a medium loud level. The effect of the music will be greater if it is not very quiet. 4. Sit back or lie down, close your eyes, and visualize a pleasant memory or peaceful place. 5. As the music starts, listen for the rhythmic pulse of the music and pace your breathing with it: breath in for 2 counts, and out for 3 counts, over and over. Then as you relax, breath in to 3 or 4 counts out to the same number.