Neuroscientists from the UK have specified which tunes give you the most bang for your musical buck. The study was conducted on participants who attempted to solve difficult puzzles as quickly as possible while connected to sensors. The puzzles induced a certain level of stress, and participants listened to different songs while researchers measured brain activity as well as physiological states that included heart rate, blood pressure, and rate of breathing.
The top song called "Weightless" produced a greater state of relaxation than any other music tested to date. It resulted in a 65% reduction in participants' overall anxiety, and a 35% reduction in their usual physiological resting rates. The group that created "Weightless", did so in collaboration with sound therapists. Its carefully arranged harmonies, rhythms, and bass lines help slow a listener's heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
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