Calm piano music outperforms nature sounds in relieving stress
Amman2 min read
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A study conducted by scientists from the Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that calm piano music may help the brain recover from stress more quickly compared to nature sounds, such as rain, streams, and waterfalls.
The experiment involved 120 young people who initially performed complex mathematical tasks within a set time to trigger their stress response, then listened to either calm piano music or nature sounds. Researchers monitored their mood, physiological indicators, and brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
The results showed that participants who listened to piano music recovered from stress at a faster rate, with improvements in their emotional state and a quicker return of heart rate and sweat gland activity to normal levels.
Brain scans also revealed changes in the interactions between neural regions associated with sound processing and stress regulation, including the auditory cortex, the insular lobe, and the thalamus.
The researchers noted that the effect of music does not depend on the calmness of the tones alone, but is also influenced by the structure of the musical pieces, as the alternation between fast and calm segments may help the brain transition from a state of stress to relaxation.
The study's authors believe that listening to calm music may be a simple and accessible way to help alleviate the effects of daily stress and restore psychological and physical balance.
