Scientists have found the optimal dose of music to reduce anxiety

A recent study by psychologists at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Daniel K. Mullen and Frank A. Russo showed that just 24 minutes of listening to specially selected music with auditory beat stimulation (ABS) can significantly reduce anxiety levels. This was reported by Medical Xpress magazine on January 23.

Anxiety disorders affect millions of people around the world. Although medications and cognitive behavioral therapy remain standard treatments, they are often accompanied by side effects, high cost, long waiting times, or significant time costs. Against this background, digital musical therapeutic instruments are seen as an affordable and quick way to reduce anxiety symptoms without medication.

The study involved 144 adults with moderate anxiety who had already taken medications to reduce their condition. They were randomly divided into four groups — pink noise listeners (24 minutes, control group), ABS music (12, 24 and 26 minutes)

Anxiety level and emotional state were assessed using standardized questionnaires before and after the session. The results showed that music with audio-stimulated rhythms reduced both cognitive and physical manifestations of anxiety, as well as reduced negative mood compared to pink noise.

The most pronounced effect was recorded during the 24-minute session. It proved to be as effective as 36 minutes of listening, and was noticeably superior to the 12-minute version.

"We observe a dose-dependent effect, where approximately 24 minutes of music with ABS seems optimal. This is enough to significantly change the level of anxiety, but not so much that listeners need to allocate a large amount of time for this," Russo stressed.

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On December 17, 2025, Medical Xpress reported an improvement in brain function in the elderly after learning to play musical instruments. It was also clarified that it does not matter whether a person learns to play a physical musical instrument or a virtual one.

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