Welcome to the ☁️ All Day Dreaming ☁️ newsletter, a space that’s part creativity, part productivity, and part ADHD. My name is Hyla.
I – Music Is Medicine 🎧 💊
Music one of the oldest forms of medicine. We’ve been using it to heal ourselves as early as we knew how to make it. Romans used it as a sedative, Greek physicians used it to purify the soul, Egyptians describe music as a way to heal the sick. Today’s science backs up these claims. There are studies that show music seems to slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce levels of stress hormones. It can also provide some relief to heart attack and stroke victims and patients undergoing surgery. It’s used to help people with dementia recall forgotten memories.
When we think about interventions for ADHD we often talk about medication (Adderall, Vyvanse, etc), cognitive behavioral therapy, and coaching, all super important things but I’d argue music is just as important as any of those. It can help you get out of a funk, find your focus and flow state. And I think there are two ways to use it like a medicine…
Let’s start with your, dopamine playlist 🧠. Think of this as like a shot of espresso. Whether you take this shot in the morning to start your day or as an afternoon pick-me-up, create a playlist of songs that you love. Just start with a few, say, five. Don’t overthink it, you can always add more but make sure you start with some classic up-tempo tracks that always bring a smile to your face. Make this playlist a part of your routine like writing a note on the fridge to hit play when you’re making breakfast. Taking this shot of music has the power to change the trajectory of your day.
Then there is your flow state playlist, this is your tall glass of water that’s keeping you hydrated throughout the day 💧. Its music without lyrics around 70 bpm +/-, lo-fi beats work great, binaural beats too. Now, does the idea of grey or white noise help everyone in every situation, no. There are times where I need complete silence, the noise-canceling headphones kind of silence. (Which if you don’t have a pair already I think it’s one of the best investments an ADHD person can make or ask your employer to hook it up.) But depending on what it is you’re working on, having something on that’s simple and repetitive can be a concentration magnifier. The best part is you don’t have to make this playlist because I’ve spent countless hours doing it for you.
☁️ All Day Dreaming ☁️ radio is Clubhouse’s first 24hr radio station running 7 days a week with hand-picked music to help you find your flow state. Think of it as medicine that you can access whenever you need it without the side effects. I’m not a medical professional but I do feel qualified to prescribe you a strong dose of good music.
A couple of weeks ago, Clubhouse pushed out a new app update that dramatically improved audio quality. As a result, ☁️ All Day Dreaming ☁️ radio sounds better than it ever has and we had our biggest week yet. Almost half a million people came through the radio room collectively logging twenty-nine million minutes of productivity. It’s a space that’s always open with friends you can flow and with minimal interruptions.
This week I’m trying something new, on Tuesday and Thursday I’m giving you a new kind of co-working. A simple 45min jump-off to start your day. One for the east coast and one for the west coast. Join me at 8am ET and PT as I kick off one 45min working block that’s set to my favorite lo-fi music. No audience check-ins, just a couple of time checks from me and vibe to start your day together. ☁️ 🎧 🤫 ✍🏻 ☁️
See you then.
***We’re putting together a “pilot program” for users to test out new features on and off of Clubhouse. If you’re interested in participating please email me your name and number to Hyla@AllDayDreaming.org and we’ll add you to our list.