Tackling the Tough Rainy Season! How to Regulate Your Autonomic Nervous System and Alleviate Mind and Body Issues – Utilizing "Balance" and "Music"
Posted by 良請川

This is a famous haiku.
The word Tsuyu (rainy season) has been seen since the Heian period, and its etymology includes:
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The season when plums ripen
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"Tsuyu" (ripen)
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"Tsuyu" (dew)
and so on.
The unique climate, including temperature and humidity, is rare even when looking across the world. Because of this, it is said that Japan has five seasons.
Everyone experiences it, but during this season, both mind and body tend to feel sluggish.
This is because significant stress falls upon our minds and bodies.
●Why do mind and body problems tend to appear during the rainy season? ~ Impact on the autonomic nervous system
During the rainy season, it's common to feel a heaviness or lethargy in both mind and body.
Let's medically explain its mechanism.
Humans can move freely because nerves transmit commands conceived by the cerebrum, allowing us to speak and move our limbs.
On the other hand, we are also equipped with an autonomic nervous system, a self-regulating mechanism.
You cannot intentionally speed up or slow down your heartbeat. However, when you are surprised, panicked, or suddenly meet someone you love, your heart automatically beats faster.
Respiration, perspiration, body temperature, appetite, and sleep are also usually automatically regulated, but when these functions fail, it can lead to autonomic dysfunction.

●Tips for getting through the tough rainy season ~ Refresh with "メリハリ (merihari)" and "music"

In Japan's unique warm and humid climate, it's difficult to sweat comfortably, causing heat to build up in the body and leading to psychological irritability.
So, what should we do?
The following countermeasures are effective:
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Sweat through exercise
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Regulate mind and body with hot and cold stimulation in a sauna
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Stimulate the autonomic nervous system with hot and cold water during bathing
Let's aim for a life withメリハリ (メリハリ: balance between tension and relaxation, distinct rhythm).
Merihari originally referred to loosening (meri) and tightening (hari) the strings of a Japanese musical instrument.
Please effectively switch between tension and relaxation, work and leisure, on and off.
Adjusting air conditioning and improving the sleep environment are also important.
Furthermore, we recommend using music.
During the rainy season, the following two albums are recommended:
◆When you're feeling stressed...
Music for Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System Recommended by a Medical Doctor ~ Blissful Healing Sounds to Relieve Mental Stress
Tap the image to listen on YouTube ♪
Click HERE to listen on other services!
◆When you can't sleep well
Music for Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System Recommended by a Medical Doctor ~ The Best Sleep Sound to Relieve Mental Fatigue ~
Tap the image to listen on YouTube ♪
Click HERE to listen on other services!
【Top Specialist Profile】
Hiroshi Bando
Doctor of Medicine
Shikoku Branch Manager, Japan Society for Integrative Medicine
Representative, Tokushima Carbohydrate Restriction Study Group
Graduated from Tokushima University, obtained ECFMG certification, and completed clinical training in family medicine in the USA. Specialized fields include anti-aging, carbohydrate restriction, music therapy, and sports medicine. Participated in the National Sports Festival as an ice skater (1999-2003). Chairman of the 9th Japan Music Therapy Society Conference (2009). Silver medalist at the 3rd European International Piano Competition (EIPIC) in Japan (2012). Chairman of the Japan Primary Care Association Conference (2017, Takamatsu).
Editor-in-Chief of 4 English medical journals related to diabetes (2024). Authored over 30 books, over 2,000 publications, and over 400 English papers. Tokushima representative for the "Shin-Rojin no Kai" (New Elders' Association).
Official website: https://pianomed.org/


































