Music and healing once went hand in hand. If we look back through history, we find numerous examples of music being used as medicine and therapy.
In ancient Greece music was used to ease stress, promote sleep, and soothe pain. Native Americans and Africans used singing and chanting as part of their healing rituals, and the Chinese character for medicine includes the character for music. Music and healing are interconnected.
This connection became separated as the science of medicine took over the art of medicine. But in the last few decades, the connection has strengthened.
From Alzheimer's disease to chronic pain and anxiety, music has been used as a complementary treatment.
And since the 80s, music researchers have been studying how music affects the cardiovascular system and how it can be used to lower blood pressure and help blood flow.
Lowering Blood Pressure with Music Therapy
We know that uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke and can also cause blood clots to form in the arteries leading to your brain, blocking blood flow and potentially causing a stroke (1).
A study reported in Heart, a British Medical Journal publication, showed that listening to fast music increases blood pressure, whereas listening to slower music has the opposite effect. Randomly introducing a pause into the music lowers blood pressure even further. These effects are particularly marked in people who have had musical training (2).
That might seem like a pretty obvious outcome, but it has positive implications for lowering blood pressure, as the following studies showed:
- At Massachusetts General Hospital, a nurse-led team found that heart patients confined to bed who listened to music for 30 minutes had lower blood pressure, slower heart rates, and less distress than those who didn't listen to music.
- At the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, researchers measured blood flow through the forearm (a stand-in for blood vessel health) as healthy volunteers listened to music or relaxation tapes. Blood flow increased significantly while the volunteers listened to music that evoked joy or to relaxation tapes, and decreased while they listened to music that provoked anxiety.
- In a study from Hong Kong, older volunteers who listened to relaxing music for 25 minutes a day for four weeks lowered their systolic pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) by 12 points and their diastolic pressure (the bottom number) by 5 points, while a control group that didn't listen to music had no change in blood pressure. (3)
It appears that music has beneficial effects in the reduction of Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HR in a variety of clinical settings such as the pre-operative setting and the ICU. These physiological changes may be the result of and/or aid in the relief of patient anxiety. (4)”
When you combine relaxing music therapy with meditation, the benefits may be further enhanced.
Studies suggest that meditation can also help with blood pressure:
In a two-year study involving 56 adults in Northeast Ohio. Study participants who practiced mindfulness meditation had significant decreases in blood pressure measurements compared with participants who received another therapy, progressive muscle relaxation (5).
(For lowering blood pressure) meditation could be accepted as a component of life-style modifications suggested like physical exercise, weight loss, reduction of sodium absorption and, if necessary, additional medication (6).
Meditation may serve as a promising alternative approach for lowering both SBP and DBP. More ABPM-measured meditation interventions might be needed to examine the benefit of transcendental meditation intervention on SBP reduction (7).
How the Blood Pressure Meditation Works
Our Lower Blood Pressure program combines relaxing music with the benefits of meditation through brainwave entrainment.
In addition to a soundscape specifically designed to induce deep relaxation, we use binaural beats (brainwave entrainment) at 10.5 Hz.
This frequency is associated with the circulatory system (blood and heart) and the heart Chakra, and is said to help lower blood pressure. It is also associated with recovery and healing (convalescence).
For those familiar with the ancient healing scale (Solfeggio) the music is tuned to 285 Hz, which is said to aid in healing and damage, and influences and health and overall well-being by rejuvenating our body and mind.
The Lower Blood Pressure meditation is a soothing, natural way to help lower stress levels and assist those suffering from hypertension. Simply sit back, put on your headphones and press play.
Download your copy and help lower your stress levels and blood pressure today!
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Please note: As per our disclaimer, the Blood Pressure Meditation should not be considered a replacement for medical advice or treatment.
