Study: Listen to 78 Minutes of Music Each Day for Mental Health Benefits
A new study by the British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST) suggests that listening to 78 minutes of music each day is recommended for maintaining good mental health. Furthermore, it can only take an average of five minutes of music each day to feel happier.
Slayer each day keeps the doctor away — it’s science. The new BAST study, which was commissioned by Deezer, shows what music lovers already know — that music is essential for maintaining one’s mental health.
The study documented the affects of music on 7,500 people globally. Based on individuals’ experiences with music and mental health, BAST suggests a “balanced diet” of different moods of music is key, including sounds which make you feel uplifted, relaxed, motivated and even sad.
Ultimately, a recommended intake of music each day includes:
14 minutes of uplifting music (user’s choice) to feel happy (18% of your musical RDA)
16 minutes of calming music (user’s choice) to feel relaxed (20.5% of your music RDA)
16 minutes of music (user’s choice) to overcome sadness (20.5% of your music RDA)
15 minutes of motivating music (user’s choice) to aid concentration (19% of your music RDA)
17 minutes of music (user’s choice) to help manage anger (22% of your music RDA)
The most common emotional benefit for listeners was relaxation, with 90 percent of participants reporting their music choices helped them relax. 82 percent reported greater levels of happiness, while 47 percent claim music helped them overcome sadness, 32 percent report better concentration and 28 percent successfully used music to deal with anger.
Though 78 minutes seems to be the optimal amount of listening time, an average of just 11 minutes per day can deliver therapeutic benefits. To boost feelings of happiness, just five minutes of music can do the trick.
“There are certain properties of music that affect the mind and body. Dedicating time each day to listen to music that triggers different emotions can have a hugely beneficial impact on our well-being. Listening to happy songs increases blood flow to areas of the brain associated with reward, and decreases flow to the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with fear,” says BAST researcher Lyz Cooper.
As for rock music, 28 percent of respondents say the genre helps process feelings of anger, with AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” being the top song choice for such a reaction. Eighteen percent of people even claimed to feel relaxed after just 16 minutes of rock ’n’ roll.
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