nielsen research

sona conducted a study with nielsen Neuroscience to test the efficacy of its music to reduce stress in 64 participants.

Brain activity was measured with EEG before, during, and after participants listened to 10 minutes of music. 32 participants listened to sona’s music. An equivalent control group went through the same protocol, except they listened to folk-pop music.

Participants

21-34 years old

50/50 male-female

non-practicing meditators

non-rejectors of folk-pop music

non-rejectors of relaxation music

electroencephalogram (EEG) is a medical test used to measure electrical activity in the brain.

Brain Scan Metrics

  • Attention Processing

    measures sustained focus and shifts in attention over time

  • Memory Activation

    measures the formation of connections with new and past experiences

  • Emotion Motivation

    measures the intensity of being drawn to an experience emotionally

Findings

A significant increase in alpha activity was observed in the sona group, showing a significant decrease in attention processing (mean of improvement 0.4, p=0.4). Conversely, the Control group exhibited higher beta activity, showing a marked increase in attention processing (mean of change 0.9, p=0.4). sona also showed an increase in memory activation (mean of improvement 0.3, p=0.4), highlighted by increases in theta and gamma brain waves. In contrast, the Control group showed inverse results with a significant decrease in memory activation (mean of change 0.4, p=0.4).

 
 

Conclusion

Many people use music in order to relax. However, the research findings suggest that listening to the folk-pop music (Control group) further engages the brain by increasing beta brain wave activity, whereas sona’s music had a restorative effect by increasing alpha brain wave activity. Additionally, previous research indicates that focused-based meditation practices are linked with heightened levels of attention (e.g., Lutz et al., 2008). In contrast, lower levels of attention, as indexed by higher alpha band EEG activity, are known to reflect states of relaxation (e.g., Başar, 2012). The sona results suggest that the music had a ‘meditative’ effect on the listener, with more focused attention during the experience followed by greater relaxation.

references

Lutz, A., Slagter, H. A., Dunne, J. D., & Davidson, R. J. (2008). Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation. Trends in cognitive sciences, 12(4), 163-169. 

Başar, E. (2012). Brain function and oscillations: volume I: brain oscillations. Principles and approaches. Springer Science & Business Media. 

Tainya C. Clarke, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Patricia M. Barnes, M.A.; Lindsey I. Black, M.P.H.; Barbara J. Stussman, B.A.; and Richard L. Nahin, Ph.D., M.P.H. (2018). Use of Yoga, Meditation, and Chiropractors Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 and Over. NCHS Data Brief 

Lindsey I. Black, M.P.H., Patricia M. Barnes, M.A., Tainya C. Clarke, Ph.D., M.P.H., Barbara J.Stussman, B.A., and Richard L. Nahin, Ph.D., M.P.H. (2018). Use of Yoga, Meditation, and Chiropractors Among U.S. Children Aged 4–17 Years. NCHS Data Brief.