Living in a densely populated capital city, we will find traffic jams almost every day. Not only disrupting activities, traffic jams can also increase stress levels, especially for those who drive a car.
Stuck in a traffic jam is indeed stressful, especially for those who are not too good with driving. As we know, stress is one of the factors that can increase the risk of heart-related diseases. Relax, there is a solution. According to the results of a recent study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, listening to music while driving can reduce stress levels.
In their study, the researchers recruited five female participants aged 18-23 with good health. Participants are not experienced drivers, and only drive no more than two times a week. Each participant was asked to drive for 20 minutes during peak hours using either their own car or another car as a comparison. On the first day of study they drive without listening to music, while on the following day they listen to instrumental music while driving. To measure the effect of stress on the heart, each participant uses a heart rate monitor that is able to record in real-time.
The results showed that those who drive in a traffic jam while listening to music have a higher heart rate variability compared to those who drive without music. The high variability is related to the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for the body's movement process in the resting phase. In other words, music can reduce stress levelsof drivers stuck in traffic.
Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from iStock photo
Source(s):
- Alves, M.A., Garner, D.M., Amaral, J.A.T., et al (2019). The effects of musical auditory stimulation on heart rate autonomic responses to driving: A prospective randomized case-control pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.08.006.
- Medical News Today - Listening to music while driving may help calm the heart (2019). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327016.php#1, 21 November 2019.