We all need to relax and we all need to do it regularly. But if you are struggling with addiction issues or combatting old cravings daily now that you are recovered, relaxation should be a priority, even more so if your desire to use drugs or alcohol increases with stress. If you used to drink or use as a way to unwind, finding a reliable way to relax these days without alcohol or substances is even more important.

Music has a profound impact on mood; the right kind of music can influence how you feel. If you need a sure way to steer your mood that doesn’t involve alcohol or drugs, turn to music. If you’re aiming to relax with a playlist you haven’t heard yet, try this one out for size.

1. Hayden James - Something About You

Start your relaxation mission off with this grooving track, ripe with a steady electronic beat, that still somehow manages to elicit chill vibes while making you want to tap your foot.

2. Library Tapes - Fragment II

The instrumental swells in this song paired with the sparse piano parts will help to relax you fully, taking you to another world.

3. James Blake - Retrograde

This song has vocal parts that flow like a waterfall and that fluidity is also apparent in the synthesizers used and the calming, steady beat.

4. Northern Lights - Light & Motion

With a grand instrumental piece like this, the music sounds dramatic and simultaneously relaxing, much like the name of the group: northern lights. It’s a cinematic and yet calming piece.

5. Alexi Murdoch - Song For You

A heartwarming and sweet acoustic ballad, this one is a feel-good, mood-uplifting song everyone is better off knowing.

6. Helios - Nothing It Can

This instrumental piece will make you feel good and calm from the inside out.

7. Brian Eno - Complex Heaven

Although this one is a bit darker in mood than some of the other songs on this playlist, this instrumental song channels all of the mood-control Brian Eno is so famous for and the dark tones don’t take away from the relaxing effect this song has on the listener.

8. Rhye - Open

Rhye pairs relaxing and sensual like only few artists so masterfully do. The vocals and instrumentals alike in this song will make you feel like it’s time to unwind while still giving your hips a reason to sway.

9. Explosions In The Sky - Be Comfortable, Creature

Explosions In The Sky are widely recognized for their ability to produce instrumental soundscapes that take the listener on a calming – but not at all boring – ride. This song by the group is no exception.

10. Morcheeba - I Am The Spring

Morcheeba has always known how to create sultry and relaxing music heavy on grooves. This song is unlike the others from their repertoire. With simple vocals and acoustic guitar, this song is sweet, simple, and perfect as a accompaniment to an intentionally relaxed mood.