Listening To This Song Could Significantly Reduce Your Anxiety
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If you have anxiety, you’ve likely heard of teas, yoga poses and breathing exercises that purportedly help relieve your symptoms. There’s now promising research that shows listening to one song in particular could be effective in reducing your overall anxiety.
According to the Anxiety Center, at least 30 percent of adults in the U.S. experience anxiety and 65 percent of North Americans take prescription medications daily to manage their symptoms. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that holistic techniques are leveraged as calming agents and music is no exception in that capacity.
Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson of Mindlab International conducted a study in which groups of participants with anxiety completed a series of puzzles while being connected to sensors. The puzzles triggered parts of the brain that respond to stress while the researchers played a variety of songs repeatedly.
The top song, “Weightless” by Marconi Union, produced a greater state of relaxation in participants than the other songs by far.
The results were astounding: the song reduced the patients’ overall anxiety by 65 percent and reduced their physiological resting states by 35 percent.
The band specifically worked with sound therapists to create the song. The initial purpose of the song was to slow the listener’s heart rate and reduce his or her blood pressure, as well as stress.
Here are the top 10 most effective songs from the study:
10. “We Can Fly,” by Rue du Soleil (Café Del Mar)
9. “Canzonetta Sull’aria,” by Mozart
8. “Someone Like You,” by Adele
7. “Pure Shores,” by All Saints
6. “Please Don’t Go,” by Barcelona
5. “Strawberry Swing,” by Coldplay
4. “Watermark,” by Enya
3. “Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix),” by DJ Shah
2. “Electra,” by Airstream
1. “Weightless,” by Marconi Union
Wow. Have a listen and hear for yourself. We feel relaxed already.