Can classical music soothe aching limbs and decrease your stress? Yes! sing researchers and music therapists alike. By listening to slow-tempo classical music, pain from chronic arthritis may ease, research indicates. Researchers at the Florida Atlantic University College of Nursing, Boca Raton, found that participants’ pain levels decreased because they were distracted by the music. Stress levels did, too. Music therapists have also found that heart muscles synchronize to the beat of music, as does breathing. When classical music rhythms mimic the average resting heart – approximately 70 beats per minute – the soothing sounds actually helped to slow fast-beating hearts.
“Music has a lot of power,” says Joanne Loewy, PhD, director of music therapy for Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Loewy uses music to slow patients’ breathing and promote relaxation.
But all music is not created equal. Faster compositions stimulate the heart rate, and some can actually rev up the nervous system. When listening to this kind of music, pain may actually feel more acute. Steven Halpern, PhD, a composer of music for healing and relaxation, offers tips for finding a classical regimen that can decrease your stress level and keep your mind off your pain:
Pay attention to your breathing and heart rate．如果你在听音乐时呼吸变慢，你会被音乐安抚;压力就会消失。另一方面，如果你选完音乐后心跳加速，那就把音乐留到锻炼时听吧。
Make your own music compilations．从商店买来的古典音乐合辑经常将激动人心的、轰鸣的乐曲与节奏较慢的、更放松的乐曲混合在一起，让你前一分钟感觉轻松，下一分钟又紧张起来。找一个专为放松而设计的合辑，或者创建你自己喜欢的慢节奏的合辑。
Try jazz or new age genres．虽然古典音乐是研究人员的最爱，但洛伊维说，任何让人感觉良好的音乐都能产生效果。转到适合你的曲调。
“The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe”Pachelbel, Mozart and others
“Music for Sound Healing”Halpern
“Meditation 1-10: Classical Relaxation”Albinoni, Bach and others
I love listening to Vivaldi, so I definitely see how this music could be soothing for arthritis. Thanks for sharing!