Why we all need a go-to Comfort song Playlist for Anxiety Healing

My dog Charlie always does this little forehead to forehead thing that calms me. It's his way of showing love.

I run on music. Literally.

If I’m not watching TV, in a meeting, or talking to someone? I’m listening to music. Awake or asleep. My whole life has a soundtrack playing in the background.

And honestly… I’m pretty sure it’s some type of trauma response — but we’ll save the heavier mental health topics for another post. Today we’re keeping it soft, cozy, and healing. Think: warm vibes, gentle reminders, and emotional regulation through music.

Here’s the thing: most of us already have playlists for everything.

A “getting ready” playlist.

A “cleaning the house” playlist (canciones para trapear are a cultural universal — especially in the Latin community. If you grew up Latine or Latino, you KNOW).

And have y’all seen the “Las de señora dolida, dejada, abandonada, divorciada” playlist on Spotify? 10/10.

The worst part? We’re slowly becoming those señoras… honestly, terrifying.

So if we have playlists for all that, why don’t we make one for comfort?

Not just for breakups, but for real mental health moments.

For anxiety spikes.

For when your chest tightens and a panic attack is creeping in.

For when you’re overwhelmed, lonely, or need grounding but don’t have the words.

A playlist that’s basically a soft little spell for your nervous system — a musical hug when nothing else works. Because let’s be real… when your parents say “just stop being depressed” or “te calmas o te calmo,” it doesn’t soothe anything. If anything, it makes the anxiety worse. So we have to build our own tools.

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My unofficial emotional support animal

Why a Comfort Playlist Actually Helps Calm Anxiety & Depression

A go-to comfort playlist can:

• Ground you when anxiety hits

• Help regulate your breathing

• Bring back memories of safety

• Provide a self-soothing tool your body recognizes

• Give your brain something familiar to hold onto

• Help you feel less alone during panic attacks

  
  

Music is one of the easiest, most accessible tools for emotional regulation — yet we rarely treat it like one. Especially in the Latin community, where we often push through anxiety instead of soothing it.

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What to Include in Yours

Choose songs that feel like:

• Peace in your body (slow, warm, familiar)

• Someone you love or miss

• Childhood comfort — even if it’s messy nostalgia

• A melody you can hum when you can’t think straight

• Songs that make you feel safe
  

Your playlist doesn’t have to be long. It just has to feel like home.

And if you need a starting point, here’s my forever comfort song:“Unchained Melody” by The Fleetwoods. Something about their version — the way their voices blend like humming and haunting at the same time — it almost feels like a spell. It’s soft, soothing, and instantly lowers my anxiety. My brain recognizes it like, okay… breathe. Almost like they're hugging my soul through my ears and telling me it's okay Gera, you're safe, you can breathe.

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Because Healing Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

You don’t need a whole ritual. Sometimes healing is as simple as pressing play on the right song at the right moment.

I have a ton of playlists and I've made several for moments when I need comfort, but here’s the one I listen to when I’m triggered, overstimulated, or dealing with a panic attack.

Share some of your comfort songs in the comments — someone reading might connect with yours, and you might help another soul breathe a little easier. 💛