Music is an emotional experience. People say the rhythm, beat and lyrics of a song can affect their mood. Sad songs could make people cry, while bubbly tracks can reinvigorate a wearied soul. And now, latest research claims that listening to music may reduce stress. 

In a study published on the JAMA Network Open site, researchers from the University of Vienna said they found evidence to prove that listening to music during times of stress can boost an individual’s mood, help them chill out and reduce their stress levels.

For the reason that study was conducted through the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team opted to look into whether listening to music every day helped lower stress and improve mood through the lockdowns and the stress-inducing restrictions implemented by the governments. 

Anecdotal evidence and prior research already suggested that music could relieve feelings of stress. Of their study, the group opted to determine a concrete basis for this claim. They got here up with a smartphone app to be used by the 711 adult participants in Austria and Italy. The participants were tasked to record their mood and music listening habits five times a day for seven consecutive days. 

The participants also reported data on their real-time and real-life experiences of their natural environment amid the lockdowns. The study was conducted between April 1 and May 2020. Data evaluation was performed from March 2021 to February 2022. 

“On this cohort study of 711 adults, listening to music was significantly related to lower levels of stress. Furthermore, music listening was significantly related to improved mood, particularly for those with elevated chronic stress through the COVID-19 pandemic,” the scientists wrote of their findings. 

Previous research showed that blissful music could activate the mood-regulating parts of the brain. This was observed within the study because the team noted that volunteers who listened to blissful music inside the study period felt less anxious, based on Medical Xpress. 

“The current findings suggest that music listening could also be a method to modulate stress and mood during psychologically demanding periods. Individuals experiencing heightened momentary and/or chronic stress due to the challenges caused by COVID-19 pandemic–related restrictions might consider music as an easily accessible tool for the management of stress and mood in every day life,” the team concluded.