Managing stress could be challenging, especially these days. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of countries are under lockdown and the regular lifecycle of people has been affected. This is a tough time, especially for those who offer essential services like healthcare and basic necessities.
It is a well-known fact that music helps in reducing stress. Neuroscientists of the UK have found out some tunes that could reduce stress levels up to 65%.
The Study
A research was conducted on a group of individuals attempting to solve complex puzzles under a time constraint. The people were connected to sensors and the reading showed that they experienced immense stress while solving puzzles.
As reported by Inc.com, researchers kept a tab on the brain activity of the subjects while they were listening to music after experiencing stress due to the game.
The Researcher also monitored the physiological states of the participants including heart rate, rate of breathing and blood pressure.
Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson, who played the major role in the research, said there was one song in the playlist that produced the most soothing effect on participants’ minds than any other song in history.
The song “Weightless” by Marconi Union caused a reduction of up to 65% in the overall anxiety of the participants and around 35% decrease in the physiological resting rates.
Here is the list of top 10 most relaxing sounds as per the research
1. Weightlessness by Marconi Union
2. Electra by Airstream
3. Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix) by DJ Shah
4. Watermark by Enya
5. Strawberry Swing by Coldplay
6. Please Don’t Go by Barcelona
7. Pure Shores by All Saints
8. Someone Like You by Adele
9. Canzonnetta Sull’aria by Mozart
10. We Can Fly by Rue du Soleil (Cafe Del Mar)
The most interesting fact related to the song Weightless is that it is, actually, created to provide a feeling of relaxation to humans. Marconi Union collaborated with sound therapists to create the song.
The harmonies, bass lines and rhythms in the song are arranged in such a manner that it reduces the blood pressure of the listeners, slows down the heart rate, and restricts the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
People can also listen to an extended version of Weightless if they want to relax for a long time. The track can be of great help for the people who want to reduce the stress induced due to COVID-19.
