New Study Recommends Listening To 78 Minutes Of Music Per Day For A Healthy Mind

A new study, commissioned by music streaming service Deezer, has found that we should all be listening to at least 78 minutes of music per day as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Yes, really.

The study looks at the listening habits of 7,500 people, alongside how music affects their physical and mental wellbeing. And just like we’re told to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg per day, the Deezer research has concluded we need to listen to at least 78 minutes of music across five different moods – uplifting, relaxing, sad, motivating and ‘anger management’.

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Breaking it down into chunks, the study says the average person should listen to the following per day:

• 14 minutes of uplifting music (user's choice) to feel happy (18% of your musical RDA)
• 16 minutes of calming music (user's choice) to feel relaxed (20.5% of your music RDA)
• 16 minutes of music (user's choice) to overcome sadness (20.5% of your music RDA)
• 15 minutes of motivating music (user's choice) to aid concentration (19% of your music RDA)
• 17 minutes of music (user's choice) to help manage anger (22% of your music RDA)

The study also says that it takes on average 11 eleven minutes to feel the benefits of music, and just five minutes to feel happier. That's just half of an average Tool song.

“There are certain properties of music that affect the mind and body. Dedicating time each day to listen to music that triggers different emotions can have a hugely beneficial impact on our well-being,” says Lyz Cooper, from the British Academy of Sound Therapy. “Listening to happy songs increases blood flow to areas of the brain associated with reward, and decreases flow to the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with fear.”

Some of the top songs to feel happy include (unsurprisingly) Happy by Pharrell Williams, Sing by Ed Sheeran and Dancing Queen by Abba. However, it’s the “anger management” recommendations that sound most appealing with AC/DC’s Highway To Hell claiming the stop spot. They’re joined by Rammstein, Metallica and Mozart.

So if you want a healthy mind, start your day with some AC/DC before cranking the Abba up on the way to work.

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