Extract from weforum.org : by Douglas Broom Senior Writer, Formative Content
“Top of the tracks list which decreased levels of the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ in the 20 participants of a scientific study:
‘Weightless’ by Macaroni Union, which was commissioned by Radox Spa, achieved a relaxation score of 73%, nearly 11 percentage points higher than any of the other relaxation tracks, as well as a 6% increase on the relaxing effects of a massage.
Indeed, the song is so effective at reducing stress, Dr Lewis told the i newspaper, that he “would advise against driving while listening to the song because it could be dangerous”.
Listen to it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfcAVejslrU“
Why is ‘Weightless’ so relaxing?
The song’s secret is its rhythm, says Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, who led the commissioning team. It slows gradually from 60 to 50 beats per minute, resulting in a matching slow-down in the listener’s own heart rate.
“It takes about five minutes for this process, known as entrainment, to occur,” Cooper told Forbes magazine. “And there is no repeating melody, which allows your brain to completely switch off because you are no longer trying to predict what is coming next.”
The other tracks proven to relieve stress:
Veronica Walsh's CBT Blog Dublin, Ireland 