Psychosomatic effects of healing music in comparison with noise: from changes in a brain waves, systolic blood pressure and pulse rate, and multiple mood as biological indicators

抄録

Regarding the noise to which patients are exposed at medical facilities, this study was conducted with the objective of investigating the effects of healing music in comparison with noise from the physiological and psychological standpoints. For the study, 20 healthy subjects (mean ± SD age: 22.4±1.8 years) were exposed to healing music and noise of the type heard at medical facilities in a relaxed state with their eyes open, and changes in the physiological and psychological indicators were evaluated. Special efforts were made to refining the test conditions through such measures as utilization of a tonometric type continuous blood pressure monitor which can continuously measure systolic blood pressure and pulse rate on a beat-to-beat basis, and a questionnaire that can assess short-term changes in emotional state. From the a brain waves %α (the percentage of the total sum power spectra of the entire frequency bandwidth) and changes in the scores of the abbreviated version of the MMS (Multiple Mood Scale) used to assess short-term changes in emotional state, it was found that healing music reduced stress to a significant degree. On the other hand, from the changes in beat-to-beat systolic blood pressure and pulse rate, no definitive effects were observed, which can be attributed to the artistry of the music and a subject's individual traits . Even under such limited test conditions, these findings suggest the possibility of clinical applications for healing music to reduce the stress of young healthy subjects exposed to hospital noise.