Kanna and Music: Creating the Perfect Calming Playlist

Music for Mindfulness and Relaxation

Ah, the sweet sounds of music. 🎶 The hills are alive, yes? For centuries, humans all across the globe have enjoyed the catchy tunes and earworm choruses for at least 43,000 years. As much as people disagree on a large number of topics (be them serious or petty), at least most of us can come to an agreement that music is essential to life. Though choosing the top genre will inevitably lead to more arguments.…of course.

In addition to letting loose at concerts, screaming out expletives to let out the stress buildup, and dubbing that one special song with your partner as ‘our song’, music is used for relaxation, meditation, and mindfulness.

Music can slow your body’s stress response:

Slowing heart rate

Reducing blood pressure slightly

Slowing breathing

Decreasing muscle tension

This shift is associated with increased activity of the “rest and digest” system (scientifically called the parasympathetic nervous system). This system helps counteract the body’s stress response.

This gives the mind an opportunity to focus on something gentle. Soft music provides a consistent, non-demanding focal point so instead of wandering, the mind can hone in and return your attention to:

The melody

The rhythm

Individual instruments

The pauses between notes

Let’s dish a little more science. The brain naturally synchronizes with repeating rhythms, a phenomenon called entrainment, and music that boasts a slow tempo (~60-80 beats per minute) may encourage brain activity associated with relaxed alertness rather than heightened stress. In addition to this, listening to music can also activate brain regions associated with reward and emotion. This may increase the release of dopamine, contributing to feelings of pleasure and motivation.

Relaxing With Kanna

Are you in the process of creating the ideal Kanna routine to unwind after work or stimulate yourself to hit up an event with your friends when the stars come out. You still might be hearing a lot of people say ‘Kanna, what’s that?’ This botanical is actually still relatively new compared to other herbs and nootropics leading the charge such as Kava, Kratom, and Ashwagandha. So, is Kanna stimulating or relaxing?

Well, actually…it can be both! It depends on the dose and the individual. This botanical is said to be biphasic. This means it can produce different effects at different serving sizes (much like Kratom). It’s quite versatile depending on the type of evening you’d like to engage in.

See the approximate amounts below and the typical experience users report. Again, this is very rough generalization for standardized Kanna extracts.

🟢 10-25mg: subtle mood boost, slight increase in alertness, mentally clear

🟠 25-50mg: mild stimulation, increased sociability, enhanced focus

🟡 50-100mg: calmness, noticeable relaxation, emotional ease, still mentally present

🔵 100-200mg: deeper relaxation, some users report a body relaxation or possible sleepiness

🟣 200+ mg: greater chance of drowsiness, heavy relaxation

Looking to level up your relaxation routine? We recommend beginners start with the lowest labeled serving first.

Our WAVE Green Apple Kanna Gummies supply 50mg of Kanna extract per gummy. The gummies are a bit on the plump side, so cutting them in half and starting with half a serving (25mg) is also a smart move, especially those with sensitivities to mood-altering supplements.


How to Create a Kanna Playlist

Okay, we have our Kanna ready, but what types of music are going to pair best with the Kanna session?

The best music to listen to with Kanna is actually pretty vast. So let’s get cracking on that chill music playlist! Kanna tends to pair best with music that feels warm, rhythmic, immersive, and emotionally expressive.

Some examples of this include:

Ambient music – Take a break from the radio! These are spacious soundscapes with little or no beat. Ideal for reflection and meditative moments. It’s calm music to a T.

👉 Some notable artists: Hammock, Brian Eno, East Forest, Loscil, Stars of the Lid

Lo-Fi beats such as lo-fi hip-hop, jazz, and soft video-game inspired beats. Perfect for background noise while reading or getting some work done.

👉 Some notable artists:

Chill electronic – these combine synthesized melodies, electronic beats, samples, and spacious sound design, and it doesn’t use the intensity of club-focused EDM. Instead, this genre is said to be dreamy, uplifting, and cinematic.

👉 Some notable artists: Flume, Lane 8, Petit Biscuit, Frameworks, Catching Flies

Downtempo – this is one of the branches of the main chill electronic genre! For an immersive listening experience, this genre uses slow grooves, rich textures, and prominent bass.

👉 Some notable artists: Tycho, Bonobo, ODESZA, Nightmares of Wax

Indie dream pop – this hazy, atmospheric style of music is characterized by soft vocals, shimmering guitars, synthesizers, gentle percussion, and plenty of reverb.

👉 Some notable artists: Still Corners, Mazzy Star, Japanese Breakfast, Cowboy Junkies

Funk, disco, and upbeat soul – funk’s got the groove with percussion at center stage, disco brings a smooth, polished melody that you can’t help but dance to, and upbeat soul combines an expressive singing with rhythm and blues grooves, gospel-inspired harmonies, horns, pianos, bass, and warmth.

Funk notable artists: James Brown, The Meters, Prince, Sly and the Family Stone

Disco notable artists: Bee Gees, Chic, Diana Ross, Earth, Wind, & Fire

Upbeat soul notable artists: The Temptations, The Supremes, Jungle, Stevie Wonder

Mindful listening may come off as a bit surprising when you’re new to it. Giving the music your undivided attention can help you to hear things you might not have heard in the songs originally and separate the vocals and instruments, appreciating them both as a whole and as unique parts to the working machine.

Make your self-care routine reflect what makes you you, and relaxing with Kanna can bring the music feels to the next level.

Kanna and music go hand in hand. Here at Zion Herbals, we can help you appreciate both.


Kanna Products for Your Relaxation Routine

🍏 WAVE Green Apple Kanna Gummies

5 Gummies per bag

Kanna Extract per Gummy – 50mg

Feel the WAVE.

💊 Nine Mile Botanicals Kanna Capsules
60 Vegicaps per jar
Sceletium Totrusum Extract 100:1 per Capsule – 150mg

Go the Extra Mile.


⭐️ Kanna is not FDA-approved. Effects may vary.