Reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure and heart rate: music soothes mores and stress.
According to several studies carried out in the laboratory and in real situations, before an operation for example, the impact of music could be stronger than that of an anxiolytic.
In a busy time, there is an easy way to reduce anxiety: listen to music.
When faced with a stressful situation, the nervous system will put in place two main ways of adapting.
First, a system will secrete adrenaline: you will increase your vigilance to put all your energy into a response.
Then a second system, endocrine, will produce cortisol.
A hormone that in excess will be toxic to your immune system, brain and heart.
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Music acts on these two systems.
The melodies will allow a decrease in the subjective feeling of stress, the production of cortisol, blood pressure and even the heart rate.
These effects were observed in a laboratory, in situations which simulated the presence of a stressful event, but also in a real situation, before a surgical intervention in an operating theater for example.
A varied playlist, according to the user's choice
The impact of music might even be stronger than that of an anxiolytic.
Studies have also looked at the musical style to listen to in order to maximize the positive effects.
In general, the presence of music is more favorable than its absence, even if, despite everything, certain styles still have better results, like the Indian music of Ravi Shankar.
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In general, music can modulate the activity of the brainstem, a structure responsible for several functions such as breathing or heart rate.
The latter could be synchronized with the tempo of the music heard.
The ideal is to have a playlist that will group the styles a little, so that the user can choose his own songs.
They say that music softens manners, this has never been so true.
So, to your headphones!