h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Calm, relaxing music is very good at the end of the day to relax your body for a good night's sleep. Something soothing, gentle, is what you want, as loud rock music makes your body more tense an active.

I find actually playing an instrument relaxing, as long as you play something you can play well- if you keep hitting the wrong note, it only winds you up and makes you tense... but if you can sit and strum/ pluck/ blow/ etc for a while, it's almost guaranteed to wind you back down after a hard day.

Related to the last post, sometimes if you've had a really bad day, if you start off with something heavy and then work your way down to something a little smoother it's more effective.

TK

listening to classical music works quite well for me when im doing school work

I have different playlists set up in my mp3 player for whatever mood I'm in. I'm currently putting together a "sleep" list since I often having trouble sleeping.

'Rainbow Dome music' by Steve Hillage is good one

I've always found a great way to relax is to put something really upbeat and dirty on (anything from Aerosmith's "Get a Grip" being a great example).
You might not feel chilled out, but you're definitely grinning. And the more of those endorphins that get released, the better, right?
EncyBass

I like listening to Eminem, it makes me relax, because it's music I like, you can't dance to it or mosh to it, so you basically sit and listen to the lyrics, and I find that very rlaxing.

I lisson to my music while cleaning house, an my kids are at play in the back. It sometimes relaxes me, while I am lissoning to it. while taken a ride in the car.
I feel like I'm in the sky.
lissoning to soft rock, or the oldies.
KAG

Bizarrely enough, classical or soothing music does nothing for me; I've gotta have something angry. Grunge usually works, and I often fall asleep listening to Nirvana or Silverchair. I don't understand why.

I like to listen to something that's not too loud, but not quiet. I listen to a live Paul McCartney CD that I got a while back, and a Simon and Garfunkel CD, too. Doing work is easier when your singing "Mother Nature's Son". At least that's what I think. But it works for me. And after all the work is done, sitting down in a comfy chair with a hot cup of green tea and a disc in the player, loud enough to be keeping the cat from sneaking behind the speakers, but not loud enough to be bothersome. That IS relaxation, just keep sure to put your tea down if you start to drift. Spilling a hot cup of well, anything really, tends to irritate.

Anything I can sing along to is usually good for relaxing, particularly in the car. People do give you funny looks if you're belting out Therapy? at full blast, though, particularly some of the more profane lyrics...

The best song to relax me is The Ying Tong Song by The Goons. No matter how black my mood, I'm always smiling by the end of it!

Dire Straits does it for me....