24 minutes of music can ease anxiety, study says
Listening to music with auditory beat stimulation (ABS) for just 24 minutes can noticeably lower anxiety and reduce negative affect (the largest reduction in negative affect occurred in the 36-minute condition), according to a new study from Toronto Metropolitan University.
The research tracked 144 adults with moderate anxiety who were already on medication, comparing the effects of ABS music to pink noise over sessions of 12, 24, or 36 minutes.
What stood out
ABS music worked better than pink noise at reducing anxiety in every session.
The study reported that the largest reduction in negative affect occurred in the 36-minute condition.
The longest sessions helped most with negative mood.
Why it matters
Frank Russo from LUCID called the 24-minute session "the sweet spot."
The PLOS article says music with ABS may be a possible addition to existing treatments and notes its accessibility and low cost.