Tag: Sunday Scaries

Spotify Teams Up With Artists and Creators To Help You ‘Tune In To Yourself’ on World Mental Health Day

October 7, 2022

There are times when it feels like the world around us gets too loud, distracting us from experiencing the moment and connecting with ourselves. And while mental health has always been important, these last few years have brought it to the forefront. In a sea of demands for our attention, it’s important to take time to get grounded. To help Spotify listeners find quiet amid the chaos, we’re inviting them to turn down the noise and tune in to themselves on World Mental Health Day this year. 

At Spotify, mental health is a top priority. It’s the reason why we started our Heart and Soul mental health initiative in 2018 as a way to raise awareness, build knowledge, encourage self-care and professional support, and normalize the conversation to reduce stigma. And in the years since, we have continued to make mental health conversations and resources available to our employees, as well as to all who come to Spotify looking for the moments of inspiration and healing that music and podcasts can provide.

This year is no exception. We believe that audio is one of many beneficial tools for mental well-being, and so we’re supporting listeners and employees with our lineup of hand-curated content and collaborations with artists, creators, and influencers. We’re also continuing to evolve our partnership with Headspace, the mental wellness provider that promotes health and happiness through mindfulness and meditation. Our hope is that everyone discovers audio that helps them continue to connect with themselves and with others in their everyday lives.

Connect with your favorite artists and creators in our Wellness hub

Across our Wellness hub, we’re highlighting content that can help listeners find some respite from noisy thoughts and buzzing news feeds. We’re also collaborating with artists and podcasters to share their personal experiences of feeling overwhelmed and stressed––along with their ways to bring themselves back to a place of connection. When you first open the Spotify app, you’ll be greeted with a pop-up or banner with a link that will take you to the hub. 

There, you’ll find not only some of our most popular editorial wellness playlists like Calm Vibes, Noise Cancelling, and lofi meditation, but also a wide range of curated playlists from artists and podcasters like J Balvin, Hayley Kiyoko, We Can Do Hard Things’ Glennon Doyle, and Meditation with CurlyNikki’s Nikki Walton.

We’ll also be working with a few of India’s and Sweden’s brightest stars. This includes India’s singer-songwriters Armaan Malik and Hanita Bhambri, actors Rajkummar Rao and Mithila Palkar, and writer Shaheen Bhatt—and from Sweden, artist SHY Martin and Det skaver’s Cassandra Klatzkow, Elsa Ekman, and Nadia Kandil. Each playlist will feature some inspiring words from the artists and creators themselves about the importance of mental health and well-being. 

Additionally, you’ll find exclusive content on our social channels, where creators and influencers such as Zion Clark, Eli Rallo, and Bran Flakezzz will be sharing their own thoughts on mental health awareness and encouraging viewers to visit the Wellness hub.  

Sundays get less scary with Headspace

In addition to having our Wellness hub, we’re also partnering with Headspace to launch the limited podcast series Sunday Scaries Student Edition on October 9. Based on the hit podcast Sunday Scaries, the series pairs Gael Aitor—cohost of the popular Gen Z podcast Teenager Therapy—with Headspace wellness expert Dora Kamau to discuss meditation, mindfulness, and most importantly, life. At the top of each episode, the two tackle a subject that’s affecting students and young people, and Gael has a conversation with Dora about it. 

“It is extremely important to break the taboo surrounding topics such as mental health and anxiety, especially with younger generations,” Gael told For the Record. “This limited podcast series of Sunday Scaries is aimed at reaching young people and teaching them to learn and understand that these feelings are normal, and there are so many tools and techniques to help combat those situations.” 

Whether she’s talking Gael through the feelings of fear that come with following his dreams, or helping him to reframe his thoughts around the idea of being alone, Dora opens up new perspectives in each of the six weekly episodes. And after every conversation, Dora leads Gael through a bespoke meditation on the subject.

“Young people are struggling more than ever with their mental health, with 50% of mental health conditions starting by age 14. Together with Gael, our intention is to help destigmatize and normalize conversations surrounding mental health by providing listeners a space to explore and investigate their feelings, emotions, and unique experiences,” said Dora. Through sharing our own stories, it’s our hope that folks can find a sense of comfort through the advice and resources shared with them.

Finally, Spotify will also be donating directly to Backline, the Music Health Alliance, the MINDS Foundation, and SEARCH.  

Turning down the noise can be tough––especially in moments of stress. If you or someone you know is struggling to safely tune in to themselves, our Mental Health Resources can provide immediate help.

Need a moment to focus on yourself? Take a break with our Calm Vibes playlist below.

Update as of August 21, 2023: We want to help connect listeners who may be thinking about self-harm with the support they need. Anyone who searches for terms that are associated with this type of behavior will receive a localized in-app message prompting them to explore our Mental Health Resources Hub and help them find locally relevant emergency mental health and support services.

Quiz: This Week on ‘For the Record’

August 27, 2021

Think you're up-to-date on the latest in Spotify news, data, and trends? Take our quiz to test just how well you’ve been following along.

1. ¿Cuál de estos éxitos es el que más streams ha sumado en los primeros dos años de La Reina?
2. ¿Qué artista ostenta la corona con el mayor número de streams al día de hoy en la playlist?
3. ¿Qué canción ha permanecido durante el mayor número de días durante estos primeros dos años?
4. ¿Qué artista ha logrado colocar el mayor número de canciones en La Reina?
5. La Reina reúne los nuevos éxitos del Regional Mexicano junto a clásicos. ¿Sabes cuál es la canción con mayor tiempo de haberse lanzado se programó en la playlist?
6. Como una playlist que reúne a todos los géneros del Regional Mexicano, hay varias versiones de canciones de amor: corridos, mariachi, cumbia o sierreño. ¿Adivina cuál de estos tracks sumó más streams?

Headspace’s Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher Dora Kamau Shares Tips and Tactics to Fight the Sunday Scaries

August 23, 2021

Now more than ever before, it’s become critical that we address and support our mental health. It’s not always easy to practice self-care, but doing so can have a major positive impact on our well-being. And right now, one particularly challenging area for many young professionals is work. Workplace anxiety around starting a new work week has become so common that there’s a term for it: “Sunday scaries.”

This has not gone unnoticed by mental health professionals or mindfulness experts—and they want to help. After seeing the popularity and positive impact of their “Sunday scaries” content on social media, Headspace Studios, a global leader in mindfulness and meditation and longtime Spotify partner, has teamed up with us to produce a new microcast, or mini-podcast, called Sunday Scaries by Headspace. It’s hosted by Headspace’s popular Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher Dora Kamau.

“‘Sunday Scaries’ is an all-too-typical feeling,” Dora explained to For the Record. “Especially for those working from home, work life has crept more and more into home life over the last year, which makes [Sunday] that much scarier.”

Starting August 29, Dora will share her knowledge as a registered psychiatric nurse and self-care and wellness artist to help listeners reframe their anxiety and approach the week with a positive outlook. The seven- to nine-minute episodes will also include breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques and tactics. Sunday Scaries by Headspace fans can expect 12 mini-episodes total, released weekly exclusively on Spotify.

For the Record caught up with Dora to learn more about the show, understand the benefits of meditation, and address anxiety.

How can meditation help listeners understand and manage anxiety? What are the benefits of doing so?

Anxiety is an experience that can have a severe impact on our well-being, especially when it’s not understood and is left unaddressed. When we can learn to understand anxiety and familiarize ourselves with its cause and the certain thoughts and emotions that come along with it, we can actually start to change our relationship with anxiety.

Meditation shows us that we aren’t our thoughts and most of our thoughts aren’t real (or as real as they may seem). With enough practice, we can learn to sit with and be at peace with our anxious thoughts and emotions, and even learn to live with anxiety as an everyday part of life instead of treating it like something scary! 

What comes with understanding is empowerment. I think when young people start to understand and address anxiety, it will empower them to take care of their own well-being. This turns into a ripple effect inspiring other young people around them to do the same. 

Can meditation newbies listen to the show? Do you have any advice for people new to or even intimidated by meditation?

Yes, definitely! I think a big misconception with meditation is that we have to be good at it when we first try it, and that’s far from the truth. The practice of meditation is something that we continue to cultivate and strengthen over time, just like a muscle. It’s not that we’re getting rid of every single thought in our mind, but we’re learning how to relate to those thoughts and feelings differently and respond to them in a healthier way. I like to advise people who are new to meditation to start small and stay consistent. So, start practicing for three to five minutes a day until you feel comfortable increasing the time.

And check out the Basics course that we have on the Headspace app! This course is great for beginners and goes over the fundamental practices and principles of meditation.

What is your favorite self-care exercise or tactic Sunday Scaries will share with listeners?

A favourite self-care exercise that I shared with listeners was mindful walking. It’s a practice that is still quite new for me, but something I’m definitely making more time for.

Oftentimes when we walk, we do so on autopilot, and our mind is elsewhere thinking about a million different things. It’s amazing how much something like walking can be turned into a restorative practice, especially when we are fully present with ourselves and our surroundings. With mindful walking, we can try a few things to sync our minds and bodies as we move: observing the body as we walk, noticing what’s going on around us—the cars, people, trees, etc.—listening to sounds close by or farther away, or simply just feeling the soles of our feet touch the ground. 

Burnout is another mental health issue on everyone’s minds. Do you have any tactics you can share for people experiencing burnout?

One of the reasons why I love meditation is the way it invites us to listen to our minds and bodies. Burnout is not just a mind thing and it’s not just a body thing; burnout impacts every aspect of our lives. Even if you’re new to meditation, a simple three minutes of noting your breathing can be beneficial. Why? Because it provides us with the opportunity to pause, reflect, and slow down. Not only that, but we can begin to become aware and understand the different cues of the body that are telling us to slow down as well. 

Another way to address burnout is by identifying your boundaries. Establish terms and standards for the way you show up in the world. Oftentimes, we don’t know our capacities and limitations when it comes to exerting ourselves, and this is what can cause burnout. By setting boundaries surrounding our work-life balance, we can create a more balanced approach to how we work and live our lives. 

Lastly, practicing self-compassion. Practice being kind and gentle with yourself as you navigate this experience. It can be so easy to be hard on ourselves for not being able to do and be more, but that won’t help us feel any better. Befriend your burnout, as silly as that sounds; this allows us to approach burnout in a curious and compassionate way. The same way we would check in and ask a friend how they’re doing, we can look at our experience with burnout in the same way. Get to know it and understand it a bit better so you can relate to it with more compassion.

Ready to relax? Connect your Spotify and Headspace accounts, then mark your calendar for the first mini-episode, which premieres Sunday, August 29. And until then, tune into Radio Headspace now: