Recent research suggests that listening to music that makes you happy may be good cardiovascular hygiene, with a positive effect on not only mood but also the endothelium, the lining of the blood vessels. Following up on an earlier study that found that laughter was linked to blood vessel dilation (a cardiovascular plus), researchers examined the effects of listening to various types of music. They found that when participants listened to music that they said made them feel joyful, their brachial arteries increased in diameter, indicating better blood flow. Music that made the participants feel anxious had a milder effect in the opposite direction, slightly constricting the artery.
The effects of funny videos and audiotapes designed to encourage relaxation were also examined; the former was also linked to blood vessel dilation, although effect was not as big as in the case of the joyful music. The relaxation tapes had no statistically significant effect. I was curious about the tapes, because over the years I’ve listened to so many relaxation tapes when I was stressed out that by now, by association, they tend to give me the heebie-jeebies.
The study looked at ten people; many of them chose country music as their “joyful” music and heavy metal for the “anxious” music. There’s obviously a whole lot more to be explored in terms of genres and the effects of personal history and experience, but this is a very interesting link between the mind and body. (Coincidentally, I happened to be listening to the jubilant final movement of Brahms’s first symphony as I wrote this, which certainly raised my spirits and I hope did my heart good.) The research is described in this press release on EurekAlert and was presented today at the American Heart Association’s meeting as Positive Emotions and the Endothelium: Does Joyful Music Improve Vascular Health?
[Postscript, December 29, 2023: Sigh. I rather regret the time I spent considering pleasurable activities in terms of their beneficial effects on human health. The point of pleasurable activities is to enjoy them.]
Just started to follow your site. Have to agree about Brahms, though my pick for “joyful” would be his fourth symphony.
Ten people chose country music as their “joyful” music? Wow! They must own some anxiety-ridden heavy metal albums.
“Ten people chose country music as their “joyful†music? Wow! They must own some anxiety-ridden heavy metal albums.”
Hm, I suppose it’s kind of slow and relaxing. Overall huh?
Dan Howitt
You have to assume their joyful country music wasn’t Hank Williams Sr., at the very least.
“When you’re tired of roaming, darling
and the love light no longer shines;
when your dream-world falls around you
and you sit by yourself and pine;
when you’re tired of breaking other hearts,
won’t come back again and break mine.”