How Music Affects Blood Pressure: Scientists' Discovery

Musical phrases influence the cardiovascular system: human blood pressure can adapt to predictable structures of musical compositions. This conclusion was reached by scientists from King's College London, who published their research in the journal Scientific Reports (SR).

The experiment involved 92 volunteers with an average age of about 42 years. Their blood pressure was continuously monitored while listening to classical music performed by famous pianists. To exclude distortions, the recordings were played on a special piano that imitated live performance.

The most pronounced effect was observed during the performance of Schubert's transcription created by Liszt, in the interpretation of pianist Harold Bauer.

Researchers found that blood pressure responded more to changes in volume than to the tempo of the compositions. The greatest effect occurred when listening to music with a predictable phrase structure, as such compositions provided a clearer synchronization of biological rhythms.

"Like language, music is built on patterns and phrases that form an expressive structure. Our results show: the more predictable the musical phrases, the more noticeable their impact on the regulation of the cardiovascular system," noted the research leader Professor Elaine Chew.

The authors emphasize that their findings open up possibilities for developing music therapy for hypertension and other heart and vascular diseases. In the future, music could become part of personalized medicine, helping to regulate pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease without the use of medications.