A study to assess the effect of intensity of music on heart rate variability

Music has positive influence on health. In the past few decades, listening to music has transcended frames and has become a modality of treatment in stress management and to enhance recuperation in post-operative period and in many medical conditions. As music influences the autonomic nervous system which in turn determines the health of the cardiovascular system, this study has been designed to evaluate the effect of intensity of music on heart rate variability(HRV).

This experimental observational study was carried out on 30 healthy volunteers (15males and 15 females) between the age of 18and 23. The variables of blood pressure(BP), heart rate and lead II ECG were recorded in all participants before and during listening to music. The volunteers listened to the same soft relaxing music at different intensity ranges, 60–70 dB and 71-80dB. Spectral analysis of HRV was done using Kubios software.

The assessment of the Frequency domain parameters revealed a significant difference between the groups with significant parasympathetic accentuation when listened to music at low intensity range(60–70 dB range than at 71-80dB range).

From the observations of our study it could be inferred that relaxing music when listened at lower intensities is beneficial to confer relaxation and enhance cardiovascular heath as inferred from the pronounced parasympathetic parameters.