Scientists at the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have concluded that soothing piano music helps the brain recover from stress faster than nature sounds.
اضافة اعلان
The experiment involved 120 young adults. Participants first completed complex, timed mathematical tasks designed to trigger a stress response. They then listened either to soothing piano music or to sounds of rain, streams and waterfalls. Researchers assessed their mood, physiological indicators and brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
The results showed that piano music helped participants recover from stress more quickly than nature sounds. Their emotional state improved, while their heart rates and sweat gland activity returned to normal levels more rapidly.
MRI scans also revealed that music altered interactions between brain regions involved in auditory perception and stress regulation, with the auditory cortex, insula and thalamus playing particularly important roles.
The findings further indicated that the effect was not determined by pleasant sounds alone; the structure of the musical pieces also mattered. Alternating between fast and slow passages helped the brain transition from a state of stress to one of relaxation.
The authors believe that listening to music could become a simple and accessible way to recover after emotional stress.
Source: Al-Ghad.
