LibGuides: Stress Busters: Relax

Sound Baths & Background Noises

Some of you may recall the Sound Bath events the library previously hosted in Classroom L. Several students attended these short sessions which encourage you to sit down or lay on the floor, close your eyes and literally bathe in the sounds surrounded by low lighting or darkness. Even small amounts of time (5 or 10 minutes) of clearing your mind from thoughts just before or after an exam can help ease your stress and prepare you for the mental endurance tests ahead. Many sound baths use special bowls, certain pitches of sound and other unique tools to strike emotional, mental and physical chords in the body for igniting relaxation and stress relief on an aural level.

16 Minute Sound & Forest Bath

In this sound and forest bath recorded by Metadata Services and Special Collections Librarian Rachel Evans you can virtually transport yourself to to a location surrounded by trees. Watch as we walk through the woods, or just listen to the music in the background as you study, work or relax. Read more about going out into nature for your own forest bathing experience!

More Resources for Relaxing with Sound

Indian Drone: Frequency Shaped Noise Generator
Create your own drone with this in-browser generator. Drones are built from a single, unbroken, musical note − sometimes a simple chord. Their harmonic content is the only characteristic evolving with time. Therefore, drones constantly balance listeners between two hearing states: the unchanging and steady sound, and the ever-evolving tone.
5 Minute Soothing Crystal Sound Bath
Please enjoy this 5 minute Sound Bath with the healing tones of Crystal Alchemy bowls and a guided meditation! Are you new to meditation? Do you suffer from anxiety? Do you wish you could just take 5 minutes to relax and reset your energy? If so, this is the perfect experience for you! Get comfortable, close your eyes, lie back, relax, and enjoy!
Background Noises & Interactive Soundscapes
This online bank of soundscapes includes free listening to a variety of background noises for creating a sense of calm or to help block out distractions. Categories include: Natural Noises (distant thunder, tin roof rain, cave water, an Irish beach), Unique Sound Scapes (black lodge, black holes, twilight, osmosis), Atmospheres (Japanese garden, autumn walk, rainy riverbank), and many more.
Online Background Noises
Though the word 'noise' has acquired a negative connotation, it can be beautiful, such as the sound of the ocean, the rain, or a field in the summer. The idea behind an online background noise machine like this website, is to make use of the noises you like to mask the noises you dislike. The concept is simple, works extremely well, and does not require expensive equipment, such as active noise cancelling headphones. Because these noises are available through a web browser, you can pick the sounds you like the best. You can adjust their relative levels to achieve perfectly well-balanced background noise to boost your productivity, increase your focus, deepen your meditation session, or fall asleep at night.

Virtual Yoga

There are so many virtual yoga and mindfulness options out there right now, it can be hard to find where to start. Below are some videos librarians and staff personally recommended along with some UGA specific offerings you can join live from the Georgia Museum of Art:

Anytime, anywhere: Watch this youtube 9 minute guided meditation led by attorney Dani Berry via the State Bar of Georgia's "Lawyers Living Well" / Wellness Committee. https://youtu.be/ssg__6Q6p0U

Guided Meditation for Law Exams

Feeling like you are short on time? No problem! Try mindfulness practice on the go with the following apps, videos, and simple exercises you can do on your own, no matter where you are and no matter what device you may be using:

Try this 5-minute Guided Mediation YouTube Video (the audio was recorded by a legal writing instructor to help her students crush their law finals, and the mandala pictured in the video is the Kalachakra Thangka painted in Sera Monastery, Tibet)
10 Best Guided Meditations on YouTube (these are great for when you feel depressed, anxious and physically/mentally exhausted; meditation can give you a break from negativity and shifts your consciousness so that you can view life in a more positive way)