Music with added auditory beat stimulation (ABS) may lower stress hormone levels and help manage anxiety. Researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU, Canada) reached this conclusion. Their findings were published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology.

The study involved 83 students who reported at least one episode of generalized anxiety. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first listened to personalized music with ABS for 24 minutes: the auditory beats were selected based on participants' initial state and gradually adjusted to promote relaxation. The second group listened to pink noise—a steady sound dominated by low frequencies, similar to the sound of rain or flowing water.

Before and after the session, the researchers measured participants' cortisol levels, heart rate variability, anxiety, and mood.

“Cortisol decreased in both groups, but the reduction among those who listened to music with ABS was more than twice as large as among participants who listened to pink noise. Meanwhile, self-reported anxiety and mood improved to roughly the same extent in both groups. Changes in heart rate variability were also comparable,” the researchers said.

Auditory beat stimulation involves the use of synchronized sound pulses that may influence brain activity associated with relaxation. One form of this technology is binaural beats, in which sounds of slightly different frequencies are delivered to the left and right ears.

The authors note that the findings cannot yet be considered evidence of a long-term effect. The study was small, included only students, and assessed participants after a single session. Further research is needed to determine whether the effects of this music persist with regular listening.