More Happiness and Less Stress...With Music!

HOW TO DETERMINE SONG BPM--
Grab a stopwatch, start the music, and count as you tap out the drumbeats for 15 seconds.  Multiply the number by 4 to get the BPM. 

DIGITAL MUSIC--
Go to mixmeister.com, download a Free BPM Analyzer, and drag your songs into the program to learn their BPM.

iTUNES--
Go to apple.com and download beaTunes 2.1.14.  It will calculate and assign a BPM for every song in your library.

♫ To ward off a cold…
Opt for music with a tempo of 80 to 90 beats per minute (BPM).  Studies show this tempo enhances parasympathetic nervous system activity, which reduces the body’s output of the immune-suppressing hormone cortisol and increases the production of compounds that fight off colds and flu.  (Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA)

♫ To sleep more soundly…
Unwind to music with 60 to 80 BPM for 30 minutes before bed.  Credit goes to the tempo’s ability to slow heart rate and deepen breathing, inducing a relaxation response.  (Tokyo University of Science)

♫ To rev energy…
Tunes with 120 to 140 BPM are proven to increase endurance by 15% and make physical activity feel easier.  The heart rate and breathing sync to the beat, increasing levels of circulating oxygen that energizes muscles.  (British researchers)

♫ To improve focus…
Tune in to a symphony.  This type of music (approximately 60 BPM) lights up the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex, areas of the brain that are involved in making predictions, paying attention and committing details to memory.  As a result, you’re better able to concentrate on problems and retain information after listening to such music.  Make it work for you by listening for 10 or more minutes, then switch off the music and get to work!  (Stanford University School of Medicine)

♫ To ease pain…
Listen to tunes with a tempo that’s slower than 60 BPM.  Test subjects with headaches or joint and muscle pain that did so for an hour a day enjoyed a 21% reduction in pain.  It’s believed that the mellow pace helps dial down activity in pain receptors, making the hurt less acute.  Slower music also promotes the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers!  BONUS:  Study subjects also reported a 25% decline in symptoms.  (Journal of Advanced Nursing)