Neuroscientists discover a song that reduces anxiety by 65%, and now it’s going viral (LISTEN)

Anxiety is the terrible feeling of panic, worry, fear and dread, and it turns out that over 30% of people between the ages of 18 and 54 are affected by anxiety disorders in the U.S. alone.

When it comes to the workplace and the education system, anxiety has been reported to hold its grip on 41 percent of employees from a range of industries, and now more than half of college students are seeking help with their anxiety issues.

It’s clear that anxiety has become the number one mental health issue in North America. People with anxiety are 3-5 times more likely to visit the doctor and 6 times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than non-sufferers.

The song below is particularly special as it not only reduces anxiety by 65%, it also induces an incredible state of relaxation. Before we get to the song, a brief overview of anxiety and how to fight against it.

How did anxiety become so prevalent in our society?

We supposedly are alive during the greatest and most productive time in human history, yet so many of us are feeling anxious. What gives?

According to the Telegraph, “the rise of technology, overly-protective parenting and ‘exam-factory’ schooling are among the reasons psychologists suggest for our generational angst.”

These factors all certainly contribute to our anxiety, and something in common from them all is that they often result in people becoming insecure. It’s difficult to grow up in this environment and seems quite natural that this kind of living results in anxiety.

Another factor that causes anxiety now is the overwhelming amount of choice we all have. While this is a function of economic progress and the advent of technology, having increased choices can make it stressful to move forward. This problem is especially acute during a time when there’s so much pressure on people’s self-esteem with society seeming to judge people’s every move.

How can you fight against anxiety?

The two main methods of treating anxiety are with medication and counselling.

Pharmaceutical companies do particularly well out of this, with 65% of North Americans taking prescription medications daily and 43% taking mood altering prescriptions regularly.

However, in most cases adopting consistent practices that induce a state of relaxation has proven to be a very effective way of managing anxiety levels. Examples of practices that induce relaxation are meditation, yoga and massage.

Another approach to inducing feelings of relaxation that isn’t as well known is music therapy.

Neuroscientists have discovered a song that developed in collaboration with sound therapists which induces a greater state of relaxation in the listener than any other music that has ever been analysed.

Tests show that listening to this song resulted in a huge 65% reduction in people’s overall anxiety levels.

The name of the song is Weightless and is created by Marconi Union

Created in collaboration with sound therapists, the song is designed to slow down the heart rate, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of stress.

Here is the song. Make sure to listen with headphones. And consider sharing the song with someone you think would benefit from listening to it.

Originally published on The Power of Ideas.