Music therapy has been suggested to help improve health, decrease heart rate and blood pressure for surgeries, and create a calm atmosphere for therapy sessions. Music has shown to have a beneficial effect on all aspects of life: emotional, mental, and health in general (Jeon and Bradt 2009). There are many studies regarding what music works best. Some have concluded that music, such as classical, has the most benefit to health (Trappe 2009). In fact, anything with a heavy bass or considered heavy metal could be dangerous to your health (Trappe 2009). Controlling blood pressure is important, along with keeping your heart rate low. Too high of either can result in health problems or complications. This is one reason that science is trying to find alternative solutions (Zanini 2009). Blood pressure is measured with a sphygmomanometer. This instrument cuts off the blood flow and as the pressure is released, the machine records the systolic and diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is when the maximum pressure equals the exceeded pressure (start to release pressure). The diastolic pressure is when the pressure from the arm band no longer affects the blood flow. Blood pressure is measured in systolic pressure/diastolic pressure mmHg. A normal BP is 120/80 mmHg. Heart rate is simply taken by placing fingers (not thumb) over the vein in your wrist. Normal range is from 60- 80 bpm (Weedman 2009). With all the different types of music, blood pressure and heart rate changes will be different. The null hypothesis would state that music has no effect on blood pressure or heart rate. However, the hypothesis for this experiment is that metal music will increase the heart rate and blood pressure dramatically. Determining which songs or style of music negatively or positively effects is important. Otherwise, music therapy would be worthless and ineffective.

Materials and Methods:

Before the experiment started, we practiced how to measure the blood pressure and heart rate. The sphygmomanometer took both reading for us. The pressure cuff was placed on the arm above the elbow. The cuff was then blown up until you reach the 150 mark. At this point, the pressure was released and calculated the blood pressure and heart rate. We did this three times, waiting two minutes in between, to take the resting heart of our partner. These results were our resting rate (RR) measurements. Our songs were less than three minutes long, so we used three markers for when we would take the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). (30 seconds into, 1:30 minutes into, 30 seconds after) Taking the BP and HR took an average of thirty seconds; therefore we pumped up the pressure thirty seconds before the markers determined. We used “Bleeding Mascara”, by Atreyu as the metal song and “This Year’s Love”, by David Gray as the folk song. We made sure to use the same songs for each group, as a way to control to the variables. As an entire group, we took the BP and HR at each time marker for our partner. Then had them listen to the next song and did the same thing. After that, our partner took our BP and HR. However, the second group listened to the songs in reversed order (folk, metal; metal, folk). This helped to control the effect the songs had had on the partner not being tested. At each time marker, the date was recorded; then compiled for the entire test group (Weedman 2009). After we got the results, we conducted a t-Test. This helped us to know if the results were due to chance, or if they were grave enough to show real effects. If the P-value is less than 0.05 then the results were extreme enough to not be due to chance. However, anything greater than that proves that it was mere chance and variable changes that affected the results. We used the t-Test formula for a two sample assuming unequal variables. The data was divided into the heart rate, systolic and diastolic pressures for each type of song. (Thus equaling six different P-values) The formula is.

Results:

The results showed that there were minimal changes to the heart rate and blood pressure. The heart rate spiked at the 30 second mark during the Metal song. Then slowly fell below the resting rate during the Folk song. (The blood pressure was divided into the systolic and diastolic for easier viewing) The blood pressure had similar results as the HR. A notable difference between group 1 and group 2 was the spike at the 30 second post mark for the calm song; both HR and BP and the same result.

Group 1 consistently had higher heart rates then group 2. However, at the end of the 30 second post for the folk song was the only time that group 2 was higher. The HRs started in the low 70’s. At the Metal 30 second mar, group 1 spiked while group 2 dropped. Then at the 1:30 minute mark, both were back to the low 70’s. Again, at the 30 second post mark, group 1 spiked while group 2 didn’t. During the folk song the results were similar but not as dramatic at the spiking points. However, group 2 leaps up to the low 80’s at the 30 second post mark while group1 drops to the high 60’s.

The blood pressure had similar results to the heart rate. The systolic pressure had the noticeable chances. Every thirty seconds the pressure would spike in both groups. Meanwhile, the diastolic pressures were basically identical throughout the entire experiment for both groups. Just like the heart rate group 2 had an extreme spike at the 30 second post mark for the folk song.

Figure 1: Heart Rate (bpm)

Figure 2: Systolic Pressure (mmHg)

Figure 3: Diastolic Pressure (mmHg)

Table 1

Heart Rate (bpm)

Metal

Metal

Metal

Folk

Folk

Folk

Resting

30 sec

1:30 min

30 sec post

30 sec

1:30 min

30 sec post

Group 1

69.73

79.8

69.5

72.3

68.7

68.3

62.3

Group 2

69.75

67.9

68

66.4

67.9

64.4

79.9

Table 2

Diastolic Pressure(mmHg)

Metal

Metal

Metal

Folk

Folk

Folk

Resting

30 sec

1:30 min

30 sec post

30 sec

1:30 min

30 sec post

Group 1

65.48

67.8

65.5

66.9

69.5

65

53.5

Group 2

62.12

65.5

67.9

63.4

69

65

79.9

Systolic Pressure(mmHg)

Metal

Metal

Metal

Folk

Folk

Folk

Resting

30 Sec

1:30 min

30 sec post

30 Sec

1:30 min

30 sec post

group 1

106.67

116.3

119.5

103.5

106.2

103.5

85.6

group 2

95.48

106.2

102.4

105.9

112.3

102.6

106.5

Table 3

Table 4 Table 5

Heart Rate-Metal

Variable 1

Variable 2

Mean

71.05

68.35

P-value

0.203255

Heart Rate-Folk

Variable 1

Variable 2

Mean

71.05

65.05

P-value

0.027232

Table 6 Table 7

Systolic Pressure-Metal

Variable 1

Variable 2

Mean

102.7

105.15

P-value

0.293983

Systolic Pressure-Folk

Variable 1

Variable 2

Mean

102.7

101.85

P-value

0.422455

Table 8 Table 9

Diastolic pressure-Metal

Variable 1

Variable 2

Mean

63.7

68.15

P-value

0.090353

Diastolic Pressure-Folk

Variable 1

Variable 2

Mean

63.7

64.35

P-value

0.421109

Discussion:

The experiment was conducted in order to figure out if metal music would affect heart rate and blood pressure more than folk music. It was predicted that it would. From the graphs and tables, it is clearly seen that there were small changes. Refer to Figures 1-3. However, none of them were that major compared to what could have happened. For example, the largest spike was a difference of less than twenty. That would be the changes that occurred to group 2 during the 30 second post folk mark. Group 2 may have been recovering from the previous music that group 1 had listened to. Such as Figure 1, group 2 was at 80 bpm, while group 1 was only at 60 bpm for heart rate. The results show that music has an effect but the hypothesis was neither supported nor disproved. The t-Test result shows that the P-value was more than 0.05 for all six tests. This means that the changes were nothing substantial or variances that occur naturally. In order to support the hypothesis the groups should have listened to the certain genre of music for longer. That might have shown distinct changes. Plus, it would help if you were not surrounded by people. Parts of our reactions are due to how others react. On another note, individuals like certain types of music more than others. This would affect how each individual reacts to certain genres of music. For example, one half of the subjects could listen to metal music daily while the other half does not. That half would be adjusted to the effects of the music, therefore unaffected in the experiment. Those are three possible factors that could have influenced our results. Even though the results gathered neither support nor deny the hypothesis it does show us that there is potential. Other experiments have shown that music does affect HR and BP. There are just specific causes and situations where it works better. Going into surgery, it had been proven that classical music helps to relax the patient, which is one prime example. Other studies have shown that classical music has the most benefit to health and heavy metal could be dangerous to your health. Each of these studies was conducted over longer periods of time. The experiment we did was able to show us that heart rate and blood pressure do change, but was inconclusive. Using the base results, they support these numerous other studies that have been conducts elsewhere. A possible new hypothesis is that music genres only affect people’s HR and BP after a certain amount of time exposed to them. Perhaps, the time must be longer than the length of one song.

Generalizing the data gathered, heart rate and blood pressure fluctuate while listening to music. Nothing was concluded about how grave those affects are, but they are present. Different genres would have different affects, but time and surroundings come into play. There were no conclusive statements drawn from this experiment. The hypothesis was neither supported nor disproved by the results. More experiments need to be conducted to further the results. However, the results of previous studies show us that we are headed down the right path.

Work Cited:

Bradt and Dileo. 2010. Music Therapy for End-of-Life Care. Life Research Center, PA. Ped Med.

Jeon, EY et al. 2009. Effects of Music Therapy and Rhythmic Exercise on Quality of Life. Department of Nursing, Korea. PedMed. p.829-39.

Trappe, HJ. 2009. Music Health-what kinds of music is helpful to whom? What music not? Struttgart, New York. PedMed. p.51-52.

Weedman D, Sokoloski ES. 2009. Biology of Organisms. A Lab Manual for Life 103, 5e. Cengage Learning. p. 173-186.

Zanini, Cr et al. 2009. Music Therapy Effects on the Quality of Life. Arq Bras Cardiol. PedMed. p.534-40.