The physiological effects of music and breathing, both together and individually, have been studied for decades. But in recent years clinical testing has come up with some very impressive results.
These results have been published in respected medical journals around the world including Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, the Journal of Clinical Hypertension, American Journal of Hypertension, Journal of Human Hypertension, Hypertension Research (Japan) and many others.
Slow breathing with music has won considerable medical recognition. It is used, endorsed and/or taught by leading institutions including Harvard, Medical School, The Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins, Rush Presbyterian Hospital and the American Heart Association among many others.
It's easy to see summaries and results of testing for yourself. What follows below is just a small sample of the available documentation. Just click on any of the links to access the actual journal articles, most of them posted on the website of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health:
1. Music And The Heart
Circulation, the journal of the American
Heart Association,
Dec 11, 2007
NOTE: If the article fails to download automatically click "Begin manual download" in the gray download box. Expect some delay while downloading.
2. Breathing-control lowers blood pressure
Journal
of Human Hypertension, 2001 Apr;15(4):263-9
3. Listening
to music found to lower blood pressure
Reuters, Friday, May 16, 2008, plus numerous
other news sources
4. Treating hypertension with a device that slows
and regularises breathing
Journal
of Human Hypertension, 2001 Apr;15(4):271-8
5. Music Can Lower Cholesterol Levels
TIMESONLINE,
Dec 21, 2008
6. Nonpharmacologic treatment of hypertension by
respiratory exercise in the home
American
Journal of Hypertension, 2004 Apr;17(4):370-4
American Journal of Hypertension, 2001 Jan;14(1):74-6
8. Nonpharmacologic treatment of resistant
hypertensives by device-guided slow breathing exercises
American Journal of Hypertension,
2003 Jun;16(6):484-7
9. Graded blood pressure reduction in
hypertensive outpatients associated with use of a device to assist with
slow breathing
Journal of Clinical Hypertension,
2004 Oct;6(10):553-9
10. How does deep breathing affect office blood
pressure and pulse rate?
Hypertension Research,, Japan,
2005 Jun;28(6):499-504
11. Treatment of hypertension with device-guided
breathing exercise
Harefuah,, Israel, 2003
Oct;142(10):677-9, 718
12. Slow breathing improves arterial baroreflex
sensitivity and decreases blood pressure in essential hypertension
Hypertension, Italy, 2005
Oct;46(4):714-8. Epub 2005 Aug 29
13. Integrating music in breathing training and
relaxation: II. Applications.
Biofeedback
Self Regulation, 1990 Jun;15(2):171-7
14. Slow Breathing Increases Arterial Baroreflex
Sensitivity in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure
Circulation Journal of the
American Heart Association)2002;105:143
