How music boosts the circulation
Tuesday June 23rd, 2009
Doctors have suspected for a while that music can be good for the heart - now a detailed study has given new clues.
Researchers say the body has responses to music that are almost automatic.
A study of classical music pieces, published in the journal Circulation, suggests that a soaring crescendo of music can indeed set the pulse racing - and raise blood pressure.
In contrast the soothing sound of a reduction in volume - known as a decrescendo - has the opposite effect of slowing the heart rate and reducing blood pressure.
Researchers said it might be possible to find new ways of using music to treat diseases such as stroke and rehabilitate patients.
The study of 24 healthy young adults in their 20s found that crescendoes invariably led to narrowing of blood vessels and increased blood pressure. Half the volunteers were experienced singers while the other 12 had no special musical interests.
Researcher Professor Luciano Bernardi, professor of Internal Medicine at Pavia University in Pavia, Italy, said: "Music induces a continuous, dynamic — and to some extent predictable — change in the cardiovascular system.
"The profile of music (crescendo or decrescendo) is continuously tracked by the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
"This is particularly evident when music is rich in emphasis, like in operatic music. These findings increase our understanding of how music could be used in rehabilitative medicine."
Circulation on-line June 22, 2009, doi: 10.1161
Tags: Europe | General Health | Heart Health
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