Many individuals nowadays choose to listen to pink noise, which is a background sound comparable to rain or static, to unwind, fall asleep, or drown out annoying sounds like traffic or neighbors.
However, a new study published in the journal PLOS Mental Health suggests that it may not be the most effective technique for reducing anxiety.
To investigate this, scientists looked at how music, specifically music with auditory beat stimulation (ABS), affects anxiety symptoms.
ABS is a technique that uses constant, rhythmic sound pulses to change the brain’s rhythm from “stressed” to “relaxed” speed/state.
In this study, researchers from Goldsmiths, University of London, and the University of Roehampton in the United Kingdom, as well as experts from Toronto Metropolitan University and the digital health company LUCID in Canada, investigated whether spending more time listening to “meditative” music with embedded ABS resulted in greater anxiety relief.
The researchers randomly allocated 144 adult individuals who were already on anti-anxiety medication to one of the following four groups:
- The control group (24 minutes of pink noise) had 36 participants.
- 12 minutes of music plus ABS group: 41 participants.
- 24 minutes of music plus ABS group = 33 people.
- 36 minutes of music plus ABS group = 34 people.
They used pink noise as a control group to see if music infused with ABS had any influence on anxiety levels.
To assess immediate (acute) improvements, the researchers measured the participants’ anxiety and mood before and after the sessions using validated clinical scales.
Longer listening causes less worry
The researchers discovered a “dose-response” relationship between how long participants listened to music and their mood.
Participants who listened to music with ABS for 24 minutes reported the greatest overall reduction in anxiety. People who listened to music for 36 minutes saw a “peak” impact, with comparable gains in mood and a greater reduction in negative sentiments. Those who merely listened for 12 minutes saw less of an improvement.
Participants experienced more than just lower anxiety. They also reported feeling more emotionally balanced and experiencing less irritation, jitteriness, and discomfort.
The fact that all participants were already taking anxiety medication and found relief with ABS and music suggests that such tools could be an effective adjunct therapy to existing therapies.
To learn how this intervention works, Medical News Today spoke with four experts: Peter Vernig, PhD, MBA, VP of Mental Health Services at Recovery Centers of America; Michael S. Valdez, MD, physician with a background in neurology and addiction medicine; Connie McReynolds, PhD, licensed psychologist specializing in ADHD, anxiety, and trauma; and Tessa Jesus, MT-BC, board certified music therapist and music integration manager at Youth Villages.
How music reduces anxiety
Previous studies has shown that music can improve cardiovascular and cognitive healthTrusted Source. Many studies have proven the effects of music on the brain and emotions.
“[N]euroscience has discovered that music is processed in numerous areas of the brain since we are not only hearing the sounds, but also processing the words, connecting to memories linked with the song, and possibly feeling an emotional reaction. The brain’s activation only increases when someone plays an instrument, sings, or watches someone else play music. “We know that music affects the brain,” stated Jesus.
However, music incorporated with ABS works differently. To create this effect, the music begins playing at a speed that corresponds to the person’s present pulse rate, which is likely raised owing to tension or anxiety.
The music then slows to assist the mood to change into a calmer state, which the researchers dubbed the Iso-Principle. ABS’s concealed pulses cause the brainwaves to gradually sync with the slower, more relaxed frequency.
How is this different from conventional music therapy?
Previous research has demonstrated that personal preference and musical taste have a substantial influence on the emotional impact of conventional music-based therapy on mental health.
“While I cannot comment on how different types of music may affect the usefulness of this study and tool, I can discuss how music therapists use music. When a music therapist is addressing an individual’s goals through music therapy, it is always crucial to choose music that the client prefers. “What is inspiring, entertaining, or helpful in expressing emotions for one person may be very different for another,” Jesus stated.
“Music therapists use music as a tool to address clinical needs—and if a music therapist is addressing anxiety, they would work closely with their client to determine what music helps them feel more regulated when anxious, and how they prefer to engage with music, i.e., listening, singing, or playing instruments,” she explained.
However, the working method for ABS-embedded music differs
“While typical music therapy relies primarily on patients’ preferences for specific music to activate the brain’s reward system, this study focused on acoustics rather than aesthetics. This type of therapy tries to match the pace and other features of the music to the patients’ emotional state (e.g., nervous or stressed), and then use adjustments in the music to shift that state toward calm,” Vernig explained.
How does this compare to active music listening, and can people achieve the same results on their own?
“Active music listening is top-down, in which the brain deliberately processes elements of the music (such as lyrics and melody) to elicit emotional responses. ABS music aims to circumvent conscious cognition and influence brain function,” Vernig explained.
“I would not associate this type of intervention with casual listening. Active music listening on its own can certainly assist with stress, but structured therapeutic use is a bit different. “The aim is more specific, the dose is controlled, and the reaction is measured rather than assumed,” Valdez explained.
McReynolds emphasized that this intervention is not equivalent to listening to a playlist
“The study’s music selection is based on the person’s self-reported mood and energy level, and it is intended to drive the person toward a calmer condition. “Simply listening to relaxing music at home may assist, but it does not replicate what our study evaluated,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Jesus cautioned against defining ABS as therapy, instead describing it as a beneficial tool.
“While people cannot get the same benefits of auditory rhythm stimulation without the assistance of an expert, they may certainly use their favored music to help lower their anxiety in a different way. Understanding how to use music for yourself to help reduce your worry, relax before bed, or boost your energy at the gym may be really beneficial in your daily life, despite the possible influence of auditory beat stimulation on the brain,” she said.
How can we determine whether music is merely a diversion or genuinely alters the brain?
“Distraction operates as long as the distractor is there (e.g., when you are listening to music). When something has a calming impact, the emotion should endure even after the stimulus is removed. If the brain switches from the ‘fight or flight’ state to the calm’rest and digest’ state, this is evidence of the effect,” Vernig added.
“The brain can gain from distraction, so this is not a minor consequence. However, distraction is only part of the story. “If someone has reduced physiological arousal, less muscle tension, and less subjective anxiety following the session, that shows something more than merely passing attention,” Valdez explained.
Meanwhile, McReynolds highlighted the pink noise utilized in the study
“The researchers chose pink noise over silence for the comparison group. Pink noise keeps the listener’s ears engaged without eliciting emotion. So, since the chosen music regularly outperformed the use of pink noise, it supports the idea that the intervention produced a result that went beyond simple distraction,” she explained.
What the study can not answer yet
The study has some limitations in terms of long-term effects and usefulness as a solo therapy.
“The study found that, under controlled conditions, listening to 24 minutes of ABS music can assist move the brain into a more relaxed state. Notably, individuals in the study were already taking medicine to alleviate their anxiety,” Vernig explained.
“The difficult question [here] is durability. “Does the effect continue, and for who?” asked Valdez.
“The study did not investigate the long-term effects of this type of intervention. ABS music may be a useful tool for dealing with anxiety spikes, but it should usually only be used in conjunction with other recognized treatments. Consider this a rescue inhaler for asthma: it relieves acute symptoms but does not address the underlying problem,” Vernig explained.
Another restriction is whether these effects are due to ABS alone or the music.
“It is crucial to note that using high-quality headphones versus listening from a phone or computer will all have different effects on the auditory beat stimulation portion of this study. It is difficult to determine if their results are due to the ABS, the music, or both, because no control group with only ABS was used,” said Jesus.
McReynolds noted that the sample size could alter the results’ generalizability and that additional research is required.
“The sample size is small, comprising of adults with mild anxiety who were on medication and were recruited online. Including medication dosages would have enhanced the findings, as medicines such as SSRIs can cause emotional blunting, which could have influenced the results. when with all intriguing early research, these findings will get stronger when more independent studies build on them,” she said.
“Future studies could be reinforced by going beyond self-report and using brain scans or physiological markers to corroborate any changes that occurred in the brain,” she noted.