How Music Affects Heart Rate
Most of us love music and some are even addicted to it; be it rock, pop, classical, jazz, etc. There is hardly anyone who doesn't listen to or enjoys any type of music. This is because music is known to have certain effects on us. Some of us claim that music elevates their mood, some say that it brings about a feeling of calmness or tranquility, or some may even say that it brings out the wild side in them. It is said that music strikes the chord of right emotions in our mind, or touches our heart. Studies undertaken to find the effect of music on human beings have found that this is not a myth anymore. Music definitely affects the heart, or the cardiovascular system. Let us know how.
Effect of Music on Heart Rate
Have you experienced a condition when listening to very loud music makes your heartbeat so fast that you can actually feel the heavy beating? In that case, you become anxious and restless. This is because of the effect loud music has on your heart rate. From this experience, it is concluded that loud and faster music increases the heart rate. Therefore, we have a feeling of high anxiety, hyperactivity, stress, etc. when we listen to music which has a faster tempo. On the contrary, slower music or music that has a slower tempo is associated with a slower heart rate. People who listen to calming music or classical music have a slower heart rate as compared to those listening to fast paced music, or those not listening to music at all.
But, why does this happen? The music and heart rate experiment found that the effect of music on the heart is based on the functioning of the brain. When we hear music, the sound waves produced are translated into electrical impulses by the brain. These impulses are sent to the hypothalamus. As it is related to the increasing and decreasing of the heart rate, the related effect is produced. Now you may wonder, is it that only slow music brings out this effect? Well, listening to slow or calming music is definitely more beneficial. However, listening to any type of music you like can be helpful, rather than not listening to any music at all.
Now let us try to understand why a slower heart rate beneficial to human beings. Heart rate is nothing but the pulse rate, i.e., the number of times your heartbeats per minute. It is believed that people who have a slower heart rate have a longer life. Similarly, people having a higher heart rate are at a greater risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, having a slower heart rate is definitely more beneficial. When music slows down the heart rate, it brings about a feeling of calmness and hence, it is used as a relaxation technique. Music also helps in bringing about an overall feeling of wellness, besides it also helps in reducing stress and relieving anxiety.
You should remember that listening to any kind of music (in right frequency and right tempo) is surely beneficial for the overall health. Lastly, we can conclude by saying that the phrase 'heals the heart' in the following quote is not just a saying, but a fact!
Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.