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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Feb;23(2):317-322.
doi: 10.1111/jch.14126. Epub 2020 Dec 21.

Relaxing music reduces blood pressure and heart rate among pre-hypertensive young adults: A randomized control trial

Imtiyaz Ali Mir  1   2 , Moniruddin Chowdhury  3 , Rabiul Md Islam  4 , Goh Yee Ling  5 , Alauddin A B M Chowdhury  6 , Zobaer Md Hasan  7 , Yukihito Higashi  8   9
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Relaxing music reduces blood pressure and heart rate among pre-hypertensive young adults: A randomized control trial

Imtiyaz Ali Mir et al. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Prevalence of pre-hypertension is higher among young adults and may increase the risk for hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity. Music therapy has been investigated to reduce the blood pressure in the hypertensive population; however, its efficacy on blood pressure in pre-hypertensive young adults is not known. Thirty pre-hypertensive (systolic blood pressure [SBP] = 120-139 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure [DBP] = 80-89 mmHg) young adults were recruited and randomly assigned into two groups. Music group (N = 15) received music therapy by passive listening to music for 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks, along with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan (a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy or unsaturated fat) and limit the daily sodium intake less than 100 mmol/day. The control group (N = 15) practiced only DASH eating plan and sodium restriction. The SBP, DBP, and heart rate (HR) were measured before and after 4 weeks of intervention. There was a significant reduction in SBP (8.73 mmHg, p < .001) and HR (6.42 beats/minute, p = .002); however, the reduction in DBP (1.44 mmHg, p = .101) was not statistically significant in the music group. Control group did not exhibit any significant reduction in SBP (0.21 mmHg, p < .836), DBP (0.81 mmHg, p < .395) and HR (0.09 beats/minute, p < .935). In conclusion, music therapy reduced significantly SBP and HR suggesting that it could be a promising tool to prevent the progression of pre-hypertension toward hypertension among young adults.

Keywords: blood pressure; heart rate; music therapy; pre-hypertension.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

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