TORONTO — Flying can be a nerve-wracking experience for many people. But did you know that there’s a way to instantly reduce stress simply by listening to one particular song?
According to Southern Living, a team of neuroscientists from the United Kingdom has found that the song ‘Weightless’ by the group Marconi Union reduces overall anxiety by as much as 65%.
The team conducted a study in 2017 that involved participants attempting to solve a puzzle as quickly as possible while being hooked up to sensors to monitor stress levels. After giving them a music playlist to listen to, scientists found that above all other songs, ‘Weightless’ was the one that helped keep participants relatively stress-free.
Not only did the song reduce overall anxiety, it was found to reduce participants’ usual physiological resting rates by 35%.
It comes as no surprise that ‘Weightless’ has that effect on people; the song’s harmonies and rhythms were arranged to “slow a listener’s heart rate, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol,” reports Inc.
So next time you have a nervous flier for a client, suggest a quick download of ‘Weightless’. It should make for one relaxing flight!