Did you know that listening to extreme music has immediate health benefits and can help you manage stress, induce happiness and combat anxiety and depression? You probably did, but a University Of Queensland study supports what we already know – heavy music can save your soul. “When experiencing anger, extreme music fans liked to listen to music that could match their anger. The music helped them explore the full gamut of emotion they felt, but also left them feeling more active and inspired,” University of Queensland researchers said of the 2015 study.
“The findings indicate that extreme music did not make angry participants angrier; rather, it appeared to match their physiological arousal and result in an increase in positive emotions. Listening to extreme music may represent a healthy way of processing anger for these listeners.”
– University Of Queensland
Not only that, you can teach your mate who is scared of black metal how to join you in this spiritually rewarding practice – it’s allegedly an acquired taste. “Musical harmony can be learnt and it is a matter of training the brain to hear the sounds … so if you thought that the music of some exotic culture (or jazz) sounded like the wailing of cats, it’s simply because you haven’t learnt to listen by their rules,” scientists continued.
Beyond heading to a show and getting covered in other people’s sweat or headbanging in the car, here are some super practical tips for better mental health and wellbeing. Share this with a mate who is down in the dumps, and you could make their weekend. Party on Wayne!
1. Make your bed. Seriously. It means you can’t get back in.
2. Try and sleep at the times normal people do. Disrupting your circadian rhythms sets you up for mood swings.
3. Eat some decent fresh food. The modern plague of mental illness in the western world could be attributed in part to terrible nutrition. Google a fucking recipe.
4. Get some therapy. A year of it can change your whole outlook. Go to your GP, they’ll ask you 20 questions then give you a referral for ten sessions subsidised by the govt that make them cost $30.
5. Feel lonely? Call your mates. Everyone is busy as shit. From your late twenties onwards, you gotta make the effort.
6. It’s not about you. “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”
7. Write down what you want and fearlessly pursue it. Get aggressively comfortable with rejection and don’t give up.
8. You’re awesome. Really. We only get a short time on this planet. Be kinder to yourself. Your life is a perfect reflection of your beliefs. If it sucks, challenge your deepest belief.
9. It’s always darkest before the dawn.
10. Get some fucking exercise. It feels awesome.
11. Get your favourite record, put on some headphones. Lie down on your bed and focus on your breathing and think about the best live gig you’ve seen recently. Rinse and repeat.
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