According to recent research, music has the power to relieve pain, but greater relief occurs when you listen to music according to your natural rhythm.
For centuries the music It was a conditioner for the soul and, apparently, also for the body. From the ancient healing rituals to modern therapeutic sessions, the melodies have long been used for soothe the pain. But where does the secret of the pain reliever power of music lives? Could it be not only in the notes themselves, but in their time?
A team of researchers has discovery That music is more effective in reducing pain when adapting to a person’s natural rhythm. This internal rhythm is the place where a person feels more comfortable in performing rhythmic activities, such as speaking, walking, beating or even playing. This discovery could open the way to music therapy personalized that help patients manage pain more effectively.
The study
The study, conducted by Mathieu Roy and Caroline Palmer, proposed to explore how specific aspects of music influence its ability to relieve pain. While previous research suggested that calming or relaxing music works better, the McGill team wanted to dig more deeply.
To test it, the researchers recruited 60 participants, both musicians and non -musicians, and subjected them to a slight pain induced by heat. The natural rhythm of each participant, or spontaneous production rate (SPR), was determined by making him beat the rhythm of “Twinkle, Twink, Little Star” at a comfortable rhythm. This rhythm has become the basic line for the experiment.
The participants then listened to non -familiar melodies played at three different times: their natural rhythm, 15% faster or 15% slower. During the sessions, they experienced short explosions of heat on the forearms, alternating between silence and music. After each round, they evaluated their level of pain.
While the music, at any rhythm, reduced the pain with respect to silence, the major relief occurred when the rhythm corresponded to the natural rhythm of the participant.
So why combine music with our natural rhythm does it work so well? The answer could reside in the brain. Each of us has a single internal rhythm, linked to our circadian cycles and neural oscillations. When the music aligns with this rhythm, it can help deviate neural activity from the frequencies of pain processing.
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