Taking Music Lesson To Reduce Stress
The study, published ahead of publication in the journal Heart, was based on various aspects of breathing and circulation obtained before and during listening to short pieces of music in 24 young men and women.
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Each participant listened to short songs of different types of music in random order for 2 minutes, and then 4 minutes of each of the same songs. A two-minute break was randomly placed between each of these sequences. Participants listened to raga (Indian classical music), Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (slow classical), rap (The Red Hot Chilli Peppers), Vivaldi (fast classical), techno, and Anton Webern (slow twelve-tone music).
Faster music and more complex rhythms speed up breathing and circulation, regardless of style, fast classical and techno have the same effect. But the faster the music, the higher the degree of physiological arousal. Likewise, slower or more meditative music had the opposite effect, with raga music causing the largest reduction in heart rate.
However, all measures of physiological arousal during the breaks were lower than those recorded before participants began listening to any of the songs.
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The authors argue that passive listening to music initially produces different levels of arousal depending on the tempo, whereas relaxation occurs at a slower tempo or with pauses. Researchers suggest it may be beneficial for heart disease and stroke.
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