An appreciation for the beauty of classical music is all but lost in our generation, save for a few cultured nerds — according to science, they are the only ones who will reap these brainy benefits.
Remember when everyone believed that playing Mozart for your baby would make them smarter? That actually wasn’t true, but listening to classical music as an adult has some pretty interesting effects on the mind (backed by studies) — you could almost call them brain-hacks.
Listening to classical music can:
Lower your blood pressure. According to a British study, participants took a challenging mental arithmetic test and were then put in a silent room and played different types of music. The classical music group had significantly lower post-systolic blood pressure levels.
Relieve your stress levels. A Taiwanese study found that pregnant women who listened to classical music showed signs of reduced anxiety and depression and a notable decrease in stress levels when compared to the control group.
Help fight depression and manage pain. According to a Glasgow University study, tests found that different types of music that varied in pitch, melody and rhythm do indeed evoke certain emotional responses in people; classical music stimulates responses beneficial to relieving emotional pain.
Improve your sleep quality. A Dutch study determined that classical music produced soothing instrumental sounds (harp, piano and orchestra, according to the study) that moderately improved relaxation and sleep quality in adults and elders.
Make you more at ease and open with yourself. An Edinburgh University study of over 36,000 music fans worldwide found that along with heavy metal listeners, surprisingly, classical music listeners tended to be more creative than other people, more at ease with themselves, and introverted.
Promote honest communication of your emotions. In a Southern Methodist University study, playing classical music in the background made people more comfortable to disclose personal experiences and promoted cognitive expression for an overall relaxed state of mind.
Enhance mental alertness and memory. A Northumbria University study found that when Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” particularly “Spring,” was played to test subjects, they were able to respond to their tasks faster and more accurately than subjects completing the test in silence.
Next time you have to crunch down on some work or you are feeling stressed, put on some classical music and let your brain enjoy the benefits — at the very least you can feel all fancy.