Non Denominational Ministries
Non Denominational Ministries
Sound & The Nervous System
Music and the Autonomic Nervous System: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Sound is processed throughout the nervous system and can produce measurable changes in both brain activity and autonomic nervous-system responses. Research has examined how music and other forms of auditory stimulation can influence arousal, attention, heart rate variability and other physiological responses.
This research helps explain how sound can interact with the nervous system and why different forms of auditory stimulation may produce different physical and psychological responses.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & PUBLISHED STUDIES
The Effects of Music and Auditory Stimulation on Autonomic Arousal, Cognition and Attention: A Systematic Review
A 2024 systematic review of 31 studies examining how music and other auditory stimulation affect autonomic arousal, including cardiac, electrodermal and pupillary measures. The researchers found that the evidence was mixed and not yet sufficient for firm conclusions, highlighting the complexity of how sound interacts with the nervous system.
Can Music Influence Cardiac Autonomic System?
A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis to Evaluate Its Impact on Heart Rate Variability
A systematic review of 29 studies involving 1,368 participants examining music’s effects on heart rate variability, a measure of cardiac autonomic regulation. Most studies reported positive effects, although the authors noted a high risk of bias and called for further research.
The Effects of Auditory Stimulation on Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Individuals With Normal Hearing and With Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis examining nine studies found that auditory stimulation may influence several measures of heart rate variability, providing evidence that sound can affect cardiac autonomic regulation.
Effects of Music on the Cardiovascular System
A systematic review examining how music may influence cardiovascular function through the autonomic nervous system, including heart rate, blood pressure and heart rate variability. The review also identifies limitations in the current research and areas requiring further study.
Music and Autonomic Nervous System (Dys)function
A review examining how music can influence autonomic nervous-system activity, including heart rate variability and the interaction between the central and autonomic nervous systems.
The Psychophysiological Implications of Soundscape: A Systematic Review of Empirical Literature and a Research Agenda
A systematic review examining how acoustic environments affect the central and peripheral nervous systems, including heart rate, heart-rate variability, respiration, skin conductance and other physiological responses. The review found measurable effects but emphasized that the underlying mechanisms and relationships between physiological and psychological responses remain incompletely understood.