Musical Prescriptions: How To Use Music For Health And Happiness With Barry GoldsteinMusical Prescriptions: How To Use Music For Health And Happiness With Barry Goldstein
I Love Being Sober
Tim Westbrook talks with Barry Goldstein about using carefully chosen music as "prescriptions" for sleep, mood and emotional balance. The discussion focuses on simple playlists and everyday practices that may support sobriety, recovery and overall wellbeing.
1:01:26•19 Apr 2022
Musical Prescriptions for Recovery: Barry Goldstein on Using Sound to Shift Your State
Episode Overview
- Use the question "Where am I now emotionally, and where do I want to go?" to choose music that shifts your state rather than keeps you stuck.
- Create a three-song bedtime playlist that gradually slows in tempo to help your heart and brain ease into deeper, more restorative sleep.
- Pick at least one "happy song" as a go-to track when cravings, anger or drama start to build during the day.
- Map out key moments in your day (morning, midday, evening) and plan music that supports the energy you’ll need at each point.
- Consider calming music for pets as a way to soothe their anxiety and strengthen your bond, especially with high-energy or rescue animals.
“Right now, in this moment, I have my own heartbeat and my own breath, and I know that I could come home to that at any point in my day.”
What secrets to maintaining sobriety can be uncovered by the music you choose each day? This conversation between host Tim Westbrook and Grammy Award-winning producer Barry Goldstein shows how sound can become a daily support tool for recovery, mental health and better sleep. The chat kicks off with Barry sharing how burnout pushed him away from complex pop production and towards slow, spacious soundscapes built around roughly 60 beats per minute.
He explains that "our hearts are at a relaxed state at approximately 60 beats per minute" and that the heart can synchronise to music, helping the whole body shift into calmer rhythms. You’ll hear practical ideas rather than theory. Barry talks about building simple "musical prescriptions": a three-song wind-down playlist before bed, starting with slightly upbeat music and easing into slower, ambient tracks to cue the brain and body for sleep.
He suggests treating these pieces like "acoustaceuticals" – low-cost, non-invasive tools to support rest, mood and emotional regulation, especially helpful for those in addiction recovery who struggle with anxiety or insomnia. Tim and Barry swap examples of workout, yoga and spin-class tracks, showing how tempo and complexity change energy levels. Barry then flips the script: instead of only using music to hype up, why not use it to shift out of drama, cravings or anger?
He encourages people to ask, "Where am I now emotionally, and where do I want to go?" and choose songs that guide them from tension towards a more balanced state. There’s even a playful segment on music for pets, with Barry describing how calming tracks helped his rescue dog settle and bond.
Throughout, the tone stays warm and practical, making it easy for anyone in recovery to imagine how a few carefully chosen songs could support their emotional, spiritual, physical and mental wellbeing. So, what might your own "happy song" or gratitude playlist look like, and how could it change the feel of your day?
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