The purpose of this study is to examine how listening to music compares to guided mindfulness in affecting blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of anxiety in healthy adults. The investigators aim to determine whether one of these approaches is more effective in reducing these variables. Additionally, the study will explore whether personal traits or preferences, measured using questionnaires, influence how participants respond to music or mindfulness. Based on previous clinical findings, the researchers hypothesize that listening to music will lead to greater reductions in blood pressure and heart rate compared to guided mindfulness.
Music and mindfulness-based practices, such as meditation and breathing exercises, are well-established non-pharmacological interventions known to positively influence both physiological and psychological health. They are utilized for their ability to reduce stress and promote relaxation by modulating autonomic nervous system activity, which in turn influences the cardiovascular system. This modulation has been associated with reductions in markers of physiological stress, such as blood pressure and heart rate. Cardiovascular influences of music and mindfulness have been leveraged in numerous medical procedures for enhancing comfort and tolerability, as well as mental well-being. However, despite the widespread use and documented physiological effects of music and mindfulness-based interventions, there is a lack of research directly comparing their effects. Furthermore, there is a relative lack of high-quality randomized trials examining the effects of music and mindfulness on parameters such as blood pressure and heart rate. This randomized crossover study will examine the cardiovascular impact of listening to a curated music playlist versus participating in a guided mindfulness session in a healthy population to determine whether music produces greater reductions in blood pressure and heart rate than guided mindfulness. Each participant will attend a single 3-hour study visit, during which they will take part in two sessions. One session involves listening to a carefully selected music playlist, and the other involves participating in a guided mindfulness exercise. The order of the sessions will be random. Blood pressure and heart rate will be measured throughout the study visit, and participants will be asked to complete questionnaires measuring anxiety, experience with music and mindfulness, tendency to become deeply engaged, and enjoyment of each session. The primary aim is to compare changes in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate between curated music playlist and guided mindfulness interventions, using an automated oscillometric upper arm blood pressure monitor with measurements taken at 5-minute intervals. By investigating the physiological effects of music versus guided mindfulness on hemodynamic responses in a healthy population, this study will provide critical insight into the distinct and shared autonomic effects of these two non-pharmacological interventions. Understanding the cardiovascular effects of music and guided mindfulness will inform evidence-based guidelines for integrating these interventions into clinical and research protocols. As non-invasive therapeutic tools, both music and mindfulness hold promise for enhancing patient care across diverse settings.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
Participants will listen to a 40-minute playlist, curated by the research team, through noise-cancelling headphones. The playlist will simultaneously be played in the room through speakers.
Participants will engage in a structured mindfulness session led by a member of the research team with experience in mindfulness-based practices. To ensure consistency across sessions, a standardized script will be used, which incorporates body scan meditation, breath coherence, and a guided emotional awareness exercise.
Jewish General Hospital
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Changes in Blood Pressure
The investigators will compare changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the curated music playlist and guided mindfulness interventions using an automated oscillometric upper arm blood pressure monitor with measurements taken in triplicate at 5-minute intervals.
Time frame: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 minutes during each 40-minute intervention session.
Changes in Heart Rate
The investigators will compare changes in heart rate between the curated music playlist and guided mindfulness interventions using an automated oscillometric upper arm blood pressure monitor with measurements taken in triplicate at 5-minute intervals.
Time frame: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 minutes during each 40-minute intervention session.
Changes in Beat-to-Beat Blood Pressure (Finapres NOVA)
Continuous beat-to-beat blood pressure will be recorded using Finapres NOVA monitoring technology (Finapres Medical Systems, Netherlands) to allow for more detailed characterization of the cardiovascular response to music and mindfulness, potentially capturing effects on systolic and diastolic blood pressure not detected by periodic arm-cuff measurements.
Time frame: 0 to 40 minutes during each 40-minute intervention session.
Changes in Heart Rate (Finapres NOVA, Electrocardiogram-derived)
Heart rate will be recorded continuously using the electrocardiogram (ECG) channel of the Finapres NOVA, a non-invasive continuous hemodynamic monitoring technology (Finapres Medical Systems, Netherlands). Heart rate values will be derived from the ECG signal. This will allow for more detailed characterization of the cardiovascular response to music and mindfulness, potentially capturing effects on heart rate not detected by periodic arm-cuff measurements.
Time frame: 0 to 40 minutes during each 40-minute intervention session.
Change from Baseline in STAI-Y 1
The investigators will measure changes in acute anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI) - State subscale (form Y1) before and after each intervention. The STAI consists of 20 participant-rated statements, from 1 to 4 (1= Not at all, 4= Very much so) regarding their current anxiety (state). A lower score corresponds to less severity of symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after each of the two 40-minute intervention sessions during the single study visit.
Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ)
The Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ) is a validated 20-item questionnaire used to assess individual differences in the rewarding aspects of music listening. Each item is a statement rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = "Completely Disagree" to 5 = "Completely Agree"). Higher scores indicate a greater sensitivity to music-related reward. The total and subscale scores will be used to determine whether the extent of music reward experienced by participants predicts the magnitude of cardiovascular impact.
Time frame: Baseline
MUSE questionnaire
The MUSE questionnaire includes two quantitative items assessing average weekly and daily hours of music listening, as well as three 5-point Likert scale items evaluating the subjective importance of music, frequency of listening, and preference for specific genres. It will be used to characterize participants' music listening habits and attitudes and their relationship to cardiovascular outcomes.
Time frame: Baseline
Mindfulness Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ)
The Mindfulness Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ) is designed to measure the quantity and quality of an individual's mindfulness practice. It includes two quantitative items assessing frequency of formal practice and average duration of each session, as well as ten 5-point Likert scale items evaluating quality of mindfulness practice and time spent being mindful in everyday life, outside of formal sessions. It will be used to evaluate participants' experience with mindfulness and its relationship to cardiovascular outcomes.
Time frame: Baseline
Modified Tellegen Absorption Scale (MODTAS)
The Modified Tellegen Absorption Scale (MODTAS) is a validated 34-item questionnaire designed to measure an individual's engagement or immersion in sensory or imaginative experiences. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale. It will be used to explore whether individual differences in trait absorption predict responsiveness to music and mindfulness interventions.
Time frame: Baseline
Subjective Enjoyment (Visual Analogue Scale)
The investigators will assess subjective enjoyment of each intervention using 10-point visual analogue scales (VAS) administered immediately following each session. Participants will rate their enjoyment on a horizontal scale ranging from 0 ("not at all enjoyable") to 10 ("extremely enjoyable"). Including these measures will allow for assessment of potential preference effects that could influence cardiovascular outcomes.
Time frame: Immediately after each of the two 40-minute intervention sessions during the single study visit.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.