Millions of Americans will be taking to the roads in the next few days as the Thanksgiving rush is set to begin. With the roads being so congested, the stress associated with the drive is sure to increase! Increased stress is can sometimes lead to health issues. So how can people alleviate stress in congested driving conditions? Listen to music!
A study published in the journal “Complementary Therapies in Medicine” showed encouraging results that listening to one’s favorite music can reduce stress associated with driving. This seemed especially true for a person's heart rate. Those in the study that did not listen to music had a higher heart rate variability than those who did listen to music.
In sum, lead researcher, Prof. Vitor Engracia Valenti stated that “Listening to music could be [...] a preventative measure in favor of cardiovascular health in situations of intense stress, such as driving during rush hour.” So now you have more reasons to listen to our music while driving in the car!