Neuroscientists Discover Most Relaxing Song to Reduce Anxiety by 65%

"Weightless" by Marconi Union can dramatically reduce anxiety by 65%; listening to "Weightless" can slow heart rate, reduce blood pressure and decrease cortisol levels.

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Weightless

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates approximately 10% of teenagers and 40% of adults in the United States are affected by anxiety disorders, costing the country more than $42 billion a year. Psychiatrists at the University of Cambridge and the University of Hertfordshire say that over 8 million people in Britain suffer from anxiety disorders, costing the country over £10 billion a year. According to the World Health Organization, between 1990 and 2013, the number of people suffering from depression and/or anxiety worldwide increased by nearly 50%, from 416 million to 615 million.

While most anxiety disorders fill millions with dread, worry and fear, they also damage relationships, friendships and careers. Disorders such as these commonly leave people feeling tired, upset and frustrated. To top it off, only around one-third of people suffering from anxiety receive treatment. They take to psychotic drugs, cognitive therapy, meditation, yoga, and sound therapy to stay calm in the face of daily stress caused by the pressures of modern life, technology, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), and social media.

Now, neuroscientists in the U.K. have found the most relaxing song in the world – “Weightless” by Marconi Union – that can dramatically reduce anxiety by 65%, enhance well-being, and improve health conditions. They claim listening to “Weightless” can slow heart rate, reduce blood pressure and decrease cortisol (a steroid hormone that causes stress and anxiety) levels.

Mindlab International, a market research firm, conducted a study a few years back where participants were asked to solve challenging puzzles as they listened to different songs while their stress levels (changes in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and brain activity) were monitored via censors.

According to neuroscientist Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson, “Weightless” was 11% more relaxing than any other song, induced a 65% reduction in participants’ overall anxiety, and resulted in a 35% reduction in their usual physiological resting rates. The song is so effective it could even help insomniacs to drop off, he warns:

“The results clearly show that the track induced the greatest relaxation – higher than any of the other music tested. Brain imaging studies have shown that music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions. In fact, Weightless was so effective, many women became drowsy and I would advise against driving while listening to the song because it could be dangerous.”

The song features guitar, piano and electronic samples of natural soundscapes. Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, told The Telegraph that Marconi Union had used scientific theory and worked with sound therapists to make the world’s most relaxing song:

Weightless contains a sustaining rhythm that starts at 60 beats per minute and gradually slows to around 50. While listening, your heart rate gradually comes to match that beat. It is important that the song is eight minutes long because it takes about five minutes for this process, known as entrainment, to occur. The fall in heart rate also leads to a fall in blood pressure.

“The harmonic intervals – or gaps between notes – have been chosen to create a feeling of euphoria and comfort. And there is no repeating melody, which allows your brain to completely switch off because you are no longer trying to predict what is coming next. Instead, there are random chimes, which help to induce a deeper sense of relaxation. The final element is the low, whooshing sounds and hums that are like Buddhist chants. High tones stimulate but these low tones put you in a trance-like state.”

Though the study took place back in 2011, the song is making the rounds online for obvious reasons: Reducing stress is more important than ever. A meta-analysis of 228 studies conducted recently by Stanford University and Harvard Business School researchers found that workplace stress — such as long hours, job insecurity and lack of work-life balance — causes more deaths than diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or influenza, and accounts for up to $190 billion in health care costs in the U.S.

However, music therapist François-Xavier Vrait is not convinced:

“When we listen to music, neurobiological changes take place in our body. The secretions of endorphin, dopamine and oxytocin cause a soothing and relaxing effect. [But] This effect differs from person to person. White noise, for example, noises of birds, and water sounds are felt differently. [So] It’s hard to say with certainty that any music is THE most relaxing when it’s tested on a sample of just 40 people. In no case, the effect of music has on us and how we perceive it, is universal.”

Are you convinced? Can a song take you from stressed to totally chilled over the course of 8 minutes and 9 seconds? Please share your views in the comments section below…


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9 COMMENTS

  1. the 13 skulls are linked to common sense… has to be with internet gmos and fluoridation and pineal gland…

    represents minds of civilizations

  2. why people fight for freedom is because it is possible and as with possible they also see the effect and it is being active at present time…

    its for no reason that Activism is one of the cards of the illuminati, so they are already expecting that plus it is relative with freedom to change the future and activism is just a word to distract the focus awareness of the mind

    so it is happening now… as you see people are fighting for the right thing that is freedom nature purity and energy… everything linked to the pineal gland… quality of emotion then intelectuality…

    sharp wisdom awareness

    so what people fight for think and reachability of types of people is where the activism is tending…

    that means it being built a wall barrier between what was robbed and the ones who had and have good qualities and intelectuality and emotions natures values…

    computers will try to aid in the illusion because of the rebrain project…

    so follow nature energy, you will be ok… sources of nature purity and energy is uniquely important.

    what is holding the infrastructure of earth is not duality nor good vs bad it is the encounter presence awareness and instinct of nature being purity energies and the abilities qualities of a being as a being… one being can be independent and live nature and freedom by itself coherently with pure emotions of energies of the mind.

  3. this one is for the illuminati elite heads of govs oficialls…

    The black hole that i ordered is coming… the one I made in my mind while time travelling…

    Now they lose because there is no one who can prove that. Nor what happened nor what is and consists in universe and existence.

    they can’t back things up on top of nothing right??? so how do they succeed against all science???

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut7VuDNHgLw

  4. Wonder why it took em till 2018 to discover the soothing power of music since Pink Floyd(album:Wish you were Here) and Mike Oldfield (album Tubular Bells and Ommadawn) already exist and proven the above stated effect in the early 70’s. A little while later Jean Michael Jarre also did some good work with albums like Oxigen and Equinox. Have scientists been sleeping all this time? Or is this just a sort off infomercial payd for by the artist? I find the scientific value dubious to say the least.

  5. As a musician who suffers from depression, I can say that this song, Weightless” creates even MORE anxious depression!
    The background organ/keyboard/synthesizer, is held down in one key…CONTINUOUSLY!!!!
    THAT, to a musician, is UBER irritating!

    Len

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