A new study has found that listening to specially designed music for just 24 minutes can significantly reduce anxiety. This simple approach could be a helpful, low-cost option for people looking for relief without using medication.
The research was led by psychology experts from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and is published in the journal PLOS Mental Health.
Anxiety affects millions of people around the world. Common treatments include medications and therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). While these can be effective, they often come with challenges.
Medications may cause side effects, and therapy can involve long wait times, high costs, and regular time commitments. That’s why researchers are exploring easier, more accessible ways to help people manage anxiety.
In this study, researchers Danielle K. Mullen and Frank A. Russo teamed up with LUCID, a digital therapeutics company connected to TMU. They tested whether combining music with something called auditory beat stimulation (ABS) could help reduce anxiety symptoms.
Auditory beat stimulation works by playing sound patterns designed to affect brain activity. When these sounds are combined with relaxing music, they may have a calming effect on the mind and body.
The study included 144 adults who had moderate anxiety and were already taking medicine for it. The participants were divided into four groups. One group listened to pink noise, which served as a control. The other three groups listened to music with ABS for 12, 24, or 36 minutes.
Before and after the listening sessions, everyone completed standard surveys that measured their anxiety levels and mood.
The results were promising. All groups who listened to music with ABS felt less anxious than the control group who listened to pink noise. The music sessions reduced both mental symptoms, such as worrying thoughts, and physical symptoms, like a racing heart. They also helped improve mood.
Interestingly, the 24-minute session gave the best results. It worked just as well as the longer 36-minute session but was clearly better than the shorter 12-minute one. This suggests that 24 minutes is the “sweet spot”—long enough to make a difference, but short enough to fit into a busy schedule.
Professor Frank Russo, one of the lead researchers, explained that 24 minutes seems to be the ideal “dose.” He said, “It’s long enough to meaningfully shift anxiety levels, but not so long that listeners need to carve out a large block of time.”
These findings could be especially helpful for people looking for quick and easy ways to feel better. Music with ABS may offer a fast, non-drug option to help with emotional balance. Because it’s digital and can be accessed through phones or computers, it’s available to people wherever they are.
While more research is needed to confirm the results in different groups and settings, this study points to a simple and powerful way to manage anxiety. If proven effective in broader use, a 24-minute music session could become a common part of self-care routines.
If you care about health, please read studies that scientists find a core feature of depression and this metal in the brain strongly linked to depression.
For more health information, please see recent studies about drug for mental health that may harm the brain, and results showing this therapy more effective than ketamine in treating severe depression.
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