Most people don’t understand music for stress reduction
February 16th, 2010 by admin
Listening to music for stress reduction is more powerful than many people realize. Of course we all know music can be relaxing. Who doesn’t like to come home from a hard day at work and chill out to music? It sure feels like stress relief.
But listening to music works not just in the mind. It produces physical responses that work deep inside the body. Researchers have discovered that listening to music actually generates increased levels on nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is one of the most powerful substances in our bodies. It controls blood pressure by expanding and narrowing blood vessels.
Higher levels of nitric oxide created by listening to music were able to expand blood vessels by an average of 26% in one test. This produces feelings of relaxation and stress relief far more intensive than relaxation in the mind alone.