They say that music appeases the beasts. In this sense, music therapy is the discipline that uses music to improve people’s well-being, something that is even tested in hospitals. Therefore, a common recommendation for people who have anxiety or stress is to listen to music to relax.
But within the wide repertoire of music that reduces anxiety or stress, there is specifically a song considered the “most relaxing in the world”, according to science. The song is called Weightless and was created by the band Marconi Union in collaboration with sound therapists from the British Academy of Sound Therapy.
Lyz Cooper, the founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, created this song with the musical band Marconi Union, with the aim of finding a composition that would have a relaxing effect. To do this, the arrangements of the piece were calibrated to produce that feeling of calm.
It starts with a tempo of 60 beats per minute, which reflects the average resting heart rate of an adult. Its rhythm gradually drops towards 50 revolutions per minute, to encourage the listener’s heart rate to soften and slow down. The frequencies of the melody align with the listener’s brain waves and, together with its tempo, favors the synchronization of the heart rate with the music, inciting a state of relaxation, thanks to its slow rhythm, low frequencies, sounds of nature, soft instrumental notes and ethereal songs.
This song has been the subject of several investigations to corroborate its effectiveness. A study carried out by Mindlab International analyzed the physiological responses of a group of 40 people, who listened to different songs while solving puzzles. Weightless was the most relaxing, reducing stress and anxiety levels by 65%.
A study published in 2019 in Penn Medicine News studied the results of listening to the song compared to using a sedative. They concluded that both methods provided similar results in reducing the anxiety levels of the participants. However, it is worth noting that patients who received the drug reported higher levels of satisfaction.
On the other hand, another research from the University of Nevada that analyzed the effects of music on stress relief and falling asleep, highlighted that the song Weightless improves rest metrics, slows down the listener’s heart rate, reduces blood pressure and decreases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
