Harmony for the Soul: The Healing Power of Music

Songs Scientifically Proven to Reduce Stress and Calm Anxiety

As humans, we have an innate ability to respond to music. Music has the ability to evoke emotions, awaken memories, and it can seem to transport us to realms beyond the physical. 
But did you know that music also possesses a remarkable power to heal? Scientific studies have shown that listening to music can reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and even lower blood pressure. Furthermore, music has a positive impact on stroke recovery, Parkinson's disease, and memory improvement in Alzheimer's patients. Because of it's ability to calm anxiety and affect the brain, music can also provide relief during pain during flare-ups and contribute to reductions in chronic pain over time. 
Therefore, the next time you are experiencing stress, anxiety, a pain flare, or any other type of flare up in symptoms, here is a list of songs that might help provide relief. In fact, some of these songs are even scientifically proven to reduce stress and anxiety. 

In a groundbreaking study, neuroscientists, led by Dr. Lewis-Hodgson at the British Academy of Sound Therapy, in collaboration with MindLab, studied the effects of music on anxiety levels. The researchers measured participants' physiological responses to stress-inducing puzzles while listening to different songs. The songs chosen for the study were taken from a long list of relaxing music, which was compiled using music critic blog sites and online rating polls. A final shortlist of 16 tracks that included ambient, pop, and classical genres was chosen for testing. Among them, one song stood out: "Weightless" by Marconi Union (see below), which was shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels by 65%, and was as effective as a sedative at reducing anxiety. This study in combination with others shows that music can be a powerful tool to calm the nervous system. Listen to these songs below, as well as a few additional calming songs when you're feeling stressed or anxious. 

Important: Please use caution when listening to these songs, and to NOT listen to any of the songs below while driving, using heavy machinery, or doing anything else that would be dangerous to do if not completely alert.

  1. “Weightless” by Marconi Union (Parts 1-6)

2. “Electra” by Airstream

Additional Music for Relaxation:

Stay Tuned for more songs coming soon!

"Electra" by Airstream is a serene and tranquil instrumental track that captivates listeners with its gentle melodies and soothing rhythms. This song was the second most relaxing song tested in the MindLab Study described above. With its ethereal soundscape and ambient textures, the song creates a sense of calm and relaxation, allowing listeners to unwind and escape the stresses of daily life. The tempo is similar to that of Weightless, matching the optimal resting heart rate of 60 to 65 beats per minute.

3. “Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix)” by DJ Shah

"Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix)" by DJ Shah is a tranquil musical piece known for its soothing qualities that promote relaxation and calmness. With its gentle melodies, soft rhythms, and ambient textures, the song gently soothes the nervous system, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. The blend of electronic and chill-out elements envelops the listener in a sense of tranquility, helping to reduce stress and anxiety levels.. With its gentle beats per minute (BPM) and ambient textures, the song gently guides listeners into a state of calm and inner peace.

4. “Watermark” by Enya

"Watermark" by Enya is a serene composition known for its gentle rhythms and calming vocals. Inspired by the soothing qualities of water, the song creates a tranquil atmosphere that soothes the soul and calms the mind, offering listeners a blissful escape into a world of harmony and beauty. “Watermark” ranked as the fourth most relaxing song out of the songs tested in the MindLab Scientific Study.

Additional Songs Tested:

The following songs are additional selections that were included in the MindLab scientific study examining the effects of music on stress levels. All of these songs have been reported to have a positive impact on anxiety levels among participants in the study.

5. “Strawberry Swing” by Coldplay

6. “Please Don’t Go” by Barcelona

7. “Pure Shoes” by All Saints

8. “Someone Like You” by Adele

9. “Canzonetta Sull’aria” by Mozart

10. “We Can Fly” by Rue du Soleil (Cafe Del Mar)

“Flying” by Soothing Relaxation

Why it works: The composers of this song, Marconi Union, an ambient music band from the UK, collaborated closely with sound therapists to create what is now known as the most relaxing song in the world. The song includes harmonies and rhythms infused with nature sounds and subtle chanting. Its harmonies, rhythms, and bass lines are meticulously arranged to slow the listener's heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and lower cortisol levels.

The song begins with a tempo of 60 beats per minute (BPM), which matches the average resting heart rate of an adult. As the song goes on, the tempo gradually decreases to 50 BPM, which guides the listener’s heart rate into a slower, more mellow state. The tune also uses “entrainment”, which aligns the brainwaves of the listener with the song’s frequencies. Researchers believe careful use of the concepts above activate the brain’s reward system and induce a sense of calm in the listener.

Research Findings: In a clinical study, "Weightless" was found to reduce stress and anxiety levels by 65 percent—more than any other music tested to date. Furthermore, a study comparing the effectiveness of “Weightless” with a prescription sedative (the benzodiazepine midazolam) demonstrated that listening to “Weightless” was equally as effective at reducing anxiety as the medication. Weightless had the advantage of reducing anxiety without the adverse side-effects caused by the drug. In a separate study, “Weightless” provided significant improvements in sleep quality when compared to a placebo song.

Marconi Union has produced a longer version of the song, which you can find here, as well as several separate parts. The different parts have slightly different rhythms to accommodate different preferences of listeners. You can listen and check out the different parts, which are listed to the left and below, and find out which ones are the most calming for you. If you would like to learn more, a list of references is included at the bottom of this page.

Additional Songs for Inspiration:

“Nightsky” by Tracey Chattaway

Conclusion

As we navigate the ups and downs of chronic pain, chronic symptoms, and life in general, let us not underestimate the transformative power of music. Whether we seek solace in its melodies, inspiration in its rhythms, or simply a moment of relief from our symptoms, may we always find some comfort and connection in the harmonies that are available. The research discussed here on “Weightless” by Marconi Union and other songs reveals the remarkable ability of music to induce relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety levels. These findings suggest that music, particularly compositions like “Weightless”, could serve as a powerful tool in managing chronic pain. By promoting relaxation and calming the nervous system, music may help alleviate the physical and emotional components of chronic pain, providing individuals with a holistic approach to pain management.

  1. Thoma, M. V., La Marca, R., Brönnimann, R., Finkel, L., Ehlert, U., & Nater, U. M. (2013). The effect of music on the human stress response. PLoS ONE, 8(8), e70156.

  2. Chan AS, Ho YC, Cheung MC. Music training improves verbal memory. Nature. 1998 Jul 16;396(6707):128

  3. Bradt, J., Dileo, C., Grocke, D., & Magill, L. (2016). Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 8, CD006911.

  4. Blood, A. J., & Zatorre, R. J. (2001). Intensely pleasurable responses to music correlate with activity in brain regions implicated in reward and emotion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(20), 11818-11823.

  5. Salimpoor, V. N., Benovoy, M., Larcher, K., Dagher, A., & Zatorre, R. J. (2011). Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Nature Neuroscience, 14(2), 257-262.

  6. Koelsch, S. (2014). Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(3), 170-180.

  7. Marconi Union, Lyz Cooper. "A Study Investigating the Relaxation Effects of the Music Track Weightless by Marconi Union." The Mindlab UK. Link to paper.

Select References: