Relaxing Music Releases Stress
Music can have a profound effect on both the emotions and the body. Faster music can make you feel more alert and concentrate better. Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic about life. A slower tempo can quiet your mind and relax your muscles, making you feel soothed while releasing the day’s stress. Thus, music is effective for relaxation and stress management. Research confirms these personal experiences with music. Current findings indicate that music around 60 beats per minute can cause the brain to synchronize with the beat, thus resonating in your mind.
A simplistic way to describe how good music makes you feel is that it is a mixture of sound and emotion. Therefore, music is very effective in helping us manage emotional stress. The reason why music has this effect on our feelings, moods, and vibes depends on many factors such as tempo (beats per minute) and genre (e.g., country rock). However, because everyone experiences these effects differently, we need scientific evidence to confirm the positive impact of listening to relaxing music or sleeping music on improving sleep patterns.
The purpose of sleep is to restore the body’s energy supply to function throughout the day. To do this, the body must first slow down its metabolism and the brain’s activities, then remove toxins and repair cells. Although sleep is called a necessity of life, it has been ignored by scientists for many years. Very few studies have looked into how to sleep better or even what happens during this critical time in our daily lives. Science shows that we spend 30% of our time asleep, but only 10% is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep which is when dreaming occurs. Rhythmic neuronal firing could form new memories because it involves repeated coding of information from short-term to long-term memory stores.
Studies performed in 2010 at Brown University on mice showed that delta waves are generated after learning something new. What is important to note about delta waves is what happens during deep sleep or unconsciousness. However, when a sleeping mouse was exposed to music with 40-50 beats per minute later on in the night, it displayed delta wave activity even though its body was motionless. This research suggests that ambient noise could disrupt our sleep patterns without us knowing it.
Another study’s findings were verified by another done at Uppsala University, which revealed that participants who listened to slow tempos while falling asleep for two months experienced less insomnia and anxiety than those who did not listen to relaxing music before bedtime. Furthermore, another relevant study found out that listening to relaxing classical music resulted in the release of serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and other hormones that are released while we fall asleep. These hormones are known to regulate mood and improve our quality of sleep. Thus, listening to relaxing music can help us fall asleep faster and enjoy a more extended period of REM sleep.
Another study done at the University Of Miami proved that sleeping after listening to relaxing music for just one week resulted in a better range of movement for musicians who had issues with playing their instruments. The purpose of this experiment was to see how classical Music from Beethoven affected the performance skills of professional cellists because they were more accustomed to playing along with a metronome or backing track than by ear. Therefore, they believed that it would be easier for them to learn how to play without such resources if the familiar sound.
Study 1
Current findings indicate that music around 60 beats per minute can cause the brain to synchronize with the beat, relaxing both body and mind. This effect can increase your feelings of relaxation while decreasing blood pressure, pulse rate, and muscle tension.
Studies have revealed that relaxing music releases stress on various body systems, including heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. It has been suggested that because of these effects, listening to music can improve your workout performance and improve health in general.
Research suggests hearing slow tempo music with a steady beat calms people down and may even help them relax enough to fall asleep quickly. Music at this tempo is described as being between 60-80 beats per minute (bpm). Researchers found significant differences in the amount of time it took participants to fall asleep listening to low (60 bpm) versus high-tempo (120 bpm) music. In addition, when they listened to the slower beat track, they fell asleep an average of 6 minutes faster than when they listened to the faster beat.
These findings support those from a similar study where investigators found that participants exposed to slow tempo music for 30 minutes before bedtime reported less tension and anxiety before falling asleep than those who were not pre-exposed to slow music.
Research has shown that listening to music can increase blood flow in the brain, specifically in areas associated with memory, emotion, and arousal. This is important because many people look at reducing stress to improve cognitive function or mood in general.
Studies have also revealed that listening to relaxing music releases stress may help:
- Reduce tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)
- Lower or raise blood pressure
- Decrease respiration rate
- Elevate or decrease muscle tension
Study 2
Researcher J. Chaitow reports that music affects both the autonomic nervous system and serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that controls heart rate, body temperature, and other involuntary functions. Brain chemicals such as serotonin are modulated by musical tempo (“Gentle Music,” 2002).
Chaitow states that “Music can reduce stress, improve concentration and memory, alleviate pain, boost the immune system and increase disease resistance. It is probably the most powerful healing tool available today.”
Studies have shown that when people hear relaxing or soothing music, their endorphins rise faster than those who don’t listen to Music (Blakeslee p. C1). A study from Vanderbilt University showed that listening to soft rock increases the level of pain-reducing endorphins much more than does hard rock or no music at all. The researchers concluded that “soft rock music should be used to calm patients before anesthesia, and as a mood enhancer for surgery or dental work” (Blakeslee p. C1).
The effects of music on the human body have been studied and proven in a multitude of ways. For example, researcher E. Jacobson states that “Music has a capacity to liberate emotions, improve mood, help us concentrate better, and enhance productivity” (as cited in Chaitow p. 43).
Evidence supports his assertions:
- Music therapy is helpful for clients with Alzheimer’s disease because it helps sharpen memory and improve alertness.
- Research suggests that listening to relaxing or loud music can reduce blood pressure.
- A study in Paris showed that workers who listened to music while performing routine tasks experienced less anxiety than those who worked in silence (Chaitow p. 46).
Research shows that increased heart rate is just one of the ways. Music affects us physiologically. Music can cause changes in blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, brainwave patterns, and increase endorphins (Chaitow p. 41).
Music has been scientifically proven to:
- Reduce stress
- Increase confidence
- Increase happiness
- Decrease anxiety
- Help you relax before bedtime and fall asleep more quickly and much more!
A study that focused on the effects of relaxing music vs. no music at all showed that subjects who listened to relaxing music fell asleep an average of 6 minutes faster compared with when they heard the faster beat. Participants exposed to slow tempo music for thirty minutes before bedtime reported less tension, anxiety, sadness, and anger the following day.
There is a lot of research to support the idea that practicing yoga can improve your physical and mental health (Chaitow p. 2). Yoga helps you achieve “a balance between opposing qualities such as activity and passivity, lightness and heaviness, extension and flexion” (Kirsh & Guyuron, 2004, p.50).
Yoga also incorporates meditation — which has been shown to increase your ability to concentrate by reducing distractions in your mind. In addition, it can lower blood pressure and reduce stress by focusing on breathing techniques (Kirsh & Guyuron, 2004; Chaitow p. 4.).
Research shows that meditation lowers cortisol levels in the brain — this is also known as the “stress hormone.” Cortisol is associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and anger. The effect of this reduction can help make your body feel more relaxed and at peace (Chaitow p. 4).
Yoga also helps to increase your flexibility, strength, and balance. This improves posture — which further reduces stress on the muscles and joints (Kirsh & Guyuron, 2004; Chaitow p. 3).
It has been found that yoga increases joint mobility by increasing the synovial fluid filling the enclosed cavities within each joint. This allows for better lubrication throughout all the joints while decreasing pain caused by inflammation of tendons and ligaments surrounding those joints (Chaitow pp. 4-5).
The Stress Management and Relaxation program is a form of yoga that Arthur Liebers developed. This exercise aims to relax the mind, relieve muscle tension, improve coordination and posture, and increase breathing techniques. This program can be performed anywhere there is space. It would be best if you had time (Kirsh & Guyuron, 2004; Chaitow p. 8).
Study 3
Findings from study 3 found that listening to soft music increased endorphin levels by 23%, compared with the 4% increase in those who listened to no music at all.
Music affects not only physical but also spiritual well-being. For example, music can reduce anxiety, soften anger, soothe fear and lift depression (Chaitow).
The effects of relaxing music reach far beyond our minds and bodies. It interacts with every organ system in the body, affecting each one positively through this powerful harmonic link. For example, listening to soothing, peaceful melodies has a profound effect on the immune system, increasing natural killer (NK) cells by 60% and lymphocytes by 20% and improving white blood cell counts significantly.
Studies have revealed that listening to relaxing music profoundly influences the nervous system, digestive system, respiratory system, endocrine glands, cardiovascular system, and skeletal muscles. It can even improve our vision! And it is now known that classical or other traditional music may reduce stress while reducing pain in women giving birth.
Music is one of the most powerful tools we have. Whether calming or elevating, music can enrich the quality of our lives in countless ways. As a tool for relaxation and stress release, music has an incredible power to heal the mind, body, and spirit – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Music can make you feel more alert and concentrate better. Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic about life. A slower tempo can quiet your mind and relax your muscles, making you feel soothed while releasing the day’s stress.
Research confirms these personal experiences with music. For example, current findings indicate that relaxing music around 60 beats per minute (bpm) may have a calming effect on the nervous system, causing the brain to synchronize with this beat (Chaitow).
When using powerful therapeutic music released by American Biophysics Corp., which has been digitally altered with precise mathematical algorithms, you may experience a profound effect on the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. The beat of this music was found to be in unison with brain waves and heart rate. This is important because Dr. Herbert Benson from Harvard Medical School has suggested that music can affect blood pressure, respiration rate, and muscle tension—all autonomic nervous system functions.
Study 4
Chopin was born on March 1st, 1810, in Zelazowa Wola near Warsaw into an artistic family – his father was a painter and musician (and fencing master!). All of his siblings were talented artists too! Chopin showed musical talent early on – he began piano lessons at age 7, and by 14, he had written some original compositions. Unfortunately, his teacher Heinrich Wilhelm von Polish was a difficult, strict man – Chopin’s father was so frustrated with his son’s lessons that he sent him away.
Studying on his own for a while, Chopin began composing and playing at local saloons, restaurants, and coffeehouses. He became very popular in Warsaw as an outstanding pianist. His works were performed throughout Europe during the 1830s, but after 1849 political upheavals limited his ability to tour. Yet still, he composed some of his best work. On October 17th, 1850, Impromptu No two was played out for the first time – most music scholars consider the piece to be one of the finest piano compositions of all time! He died peacefully in Paris on October 17th, 1849, just a few hours after completing his last work.
Chopin’s music can be very relaxing and enjoyable to listen to, especially when played on a piano by a skilled performer. However, I recommend that you don’t play an instrument yourself, as it requires too much concentration for relaxation – instead, find someone who plays well and enjoys it (not necessarily professionally) to learn the pieces you enjoy most by heart. That way, you can listen to your favorite parts of music during the day while still doing whatever else you need or want to do.
Chopin is an outstanding composer whose work combines beauty with complexity – thus when reading a score by him, one can enjoy looking at the notes while still understanding the overall musical structure.
Chopin had a unique style of composition and a great talent for improvisation that makes his music very interesting to study – reading through his works will train your analytical skills, make you more observant of your surroundings, and lead to an increased vocabulary.
Chopin’s compositions have three significant effects when reducing stress:
- Chopin’s compositions has a significant effect on stress management. Listening to his music relaxes and soothes the listener, helping them through even the most stressful daily life situations.
- Chopin’s compositions improves concentration and problem-solving skills, as well as promoting creativity enhancement! This makes it worthwhile for both students and business people – not only will they be better at their jobs but also happier with their lives.
- Chopin’s compositions increases curiosity in music history. Learning about this great composer and playing some of his pieces will undoubtedly improve your general knowledge in many other areas.
Some myths surround Chopin’s death that should be dispelled by modern science – he didn’t die because he drank too much coffee (and hence used too many stimulants), nor was it tuberculosis or syphilis or any other infectious disease. The only thing we know about him with certainty is that at some point in 1849, he fell ill (perhaps from exposure to cold water while swimming in the sea) and never recovered. On his deathbed, he was reported to say, “My friend, play on – let the world know what I was.”
Suppose you fall in love with Chopin’s compositions. In that case, there are plenty of other composers out there whose music is also relaxing – so here are a few more favorites (again, feel free to listen to these in the background while doing whatever you want to do).
Perhaps you would like to compose a piece yourself? Studying Chopin’s work will help you get into that mindset – whatever it is that seems impossible to understand right now as you are reading this article, practice studying these composers for just one month. We guarantee that after 30 days you’ll find it much more enjoyable and easy! But, even if not, it won’t hurt to try – even just listening to their music can change your life for the better!
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