Music therapy breakthrough: 24-minute sessions may calm anxious minds
Study finds music paired with ABS improves both mental and physical anxiety symptoms
A new study suggests that just 24 minutes of music could help reduce anxiety symptoms, offering a simple, accessible way to manage stress.
Researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University studied 144 participants experiencing moderate anxiety, testing the effects of music combined with auditory beat stimulation (ABS), a sound pattern designed to influence brain activity.
The study, published in PLOS Mental Health, divided participants into four groups:
- Pink noise for 24 minutes (control group)
- Music with ABS for 12 minutes
- Music with ABS for 24 minutes
- Music with ABS for 36 minutes
The results showed that music with ABS improved both cognitive and physical symptoms associated with anxiety, with the 24-minute session producing the strongest effects, more effective than both the shorter 12-minute session and the longer 36-minute session.
Frank Russo, a psychology professor and co-author of the study, said, “What we're seeing is a dose-response pattern where about 24 minutes of music with ABS seems to be the sweet spot.
"It’s long enough to meaningfully shift anxiety levels, but not so long that listeners need to carve out a large block of time.”
Anxiety affects millions worldwide, and while medication and therapy remain standard treatments, they can be costly, time-consuming, or cause side effects.
Researchers say music paired with ABS offers a low-cost, non-invasive alternative for managing symptoms.