Music Is Distraction, Painkiller, Anxiety Relief and More

University of Utah Pain Research Center investigators provide evidence that music can sooth the pain of people suffering heavily from anxiety. At the same time, sounds can benefit those who are usually absorbed in various cognitive activities, and can act as a distraction at the same time.

One of the more unorthodox things researchers attempted was to see whether music can prevent the natural psychological responses people display when exposed to painful stimuli. In other words, the scientists wanted to see if people were in as much pain as usual after receiving “damage” when also listening to music.

In a series of experiments, participants were asked to participate in complex music tasks, involving them listening attentively for deviant tones in a tune. At the same time, they were given low-intensity electric shocks to the tip of the fingers.

The more the people were engaged in the musical task, the less the areas of their brain responsible for coding pain and the response to pain activated, PsychCentral reports.