Listening to music lowers stress in measurable ways: a meta-analysis of 104 randomized trials with 9,617 participants found a significant effect both on the body (heart rate, blood pressure, hormones) and on how stressed people feel. The study, by de Witte and colleagues in Health Psychology Review (2020), is the broadest review on the subject. But not every kind of music relaxes everyone, at any time.
In this guide we look at what the research says about chill music and relaxing music, why tempo and the intention behind listening matter so much, which genres fit each moment of the day and what music cannot do, however often the internet claims otherwise.
What science says about chill music and stress
Research on music and stress goes back decades, and the results do not always agree. That is why it pays to look at named studies. These are among the most cited, and what they found:
| Study | Participants | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| de Witte et al., 2020, meta-analysis | 104 trials, 9,617 people | Music reduces physiological stress (d = 0.38) and psychological stress (d = 0.55). The clearest effect is on heart rate |
| Bernardi et al., 2006, Heart | 24 people (12 musicians) | Fast tempos raise breathing, blood pressure and pulse; a pause of silence lowers them even below resting level |
| Linnemann et al., 2015, Psychoneuroendocrinology | 55 students in a regular week and an exam week | Listening to music lowered perceived stress; when the reason was relaxation, cortisol was lower too |
| Labbé et al., 2007, Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback | 56 students | After a stressful test, classical music and self-selected relaxing music reduced anxiety more than silence or heavy metal |
| Thoma et al., 2013, PLOS ONE | 60 women | Relaxing music before a stressful task did not reduce cortisol, but the nervous system recovered sooner |
The overall conclusion is cautious: the effect is real and moderate in size, and it depends on how, when and why people listen. An effect size of 0.4 to 0.5 is not a cure, but it is a real and free form of help.
Why it works: tempo, breathing and cortisol
Tempo rules. In the study by Bernardi, Porta and Sleight, published in the journal Heart, 24 people listened to six music styles in random order. Faster tempos increased ventilation, blood pressure and heart rate; slow or meditative music calmed the body down. The authors conclude that music has an arousal effect driven mainly by tempo.
Silence counts too. The most striking finding was that a two-minute pause between tracks lowered pulse, blood pressure and breathing even below the initial resting level. In other words, the contrast between music and silence relaxes more than music alone.
Intention matters. Linnemann's study followed students in daily life, four times a day for two weeks, and measured cortisol and alpha-amylase in saliva. Listening to music lowered perceived stress, but the strongest effect came when people listened in order to relax: then cortisol dropped as well. Energizing music, by contrast, raised alpha-amylase, a marker of the sympathetic nervous system.
Pleasure releases dopamine. A study by Salimpoor and colleagues in Nature Neuroscience (2011) used brain imaging to show that the brain releases dopamine at moments of peak musical emotion, and also while anticipating them. That is why a song you love can ease tension even when it is not slow.
Chill music genres and when to use each one
No single study compares every genre, so the table below combines the usual tempo range of each style with what research says about tempo and intention. It is a practical guide, not a medical prescription.
| Genre | Usual tempo | Best moment |
|---|---|---|
| Ambient | No clear beat or very slow | Unwinding, meditating, slowing down at the end of the day |
| Slow classical music (adagios, piano) | Slow and variable | Easing anxiety after a tense moment, as in Labbé's study |
| Lo-fi hip hop | Between 70 and 90 BPM | Studying or working with a steady background |
| Smooth jazz and bossa nova | Moderate | Cooking, lingering after a meal, reading |
| Chill out, lounge and deep house | Between 90 and 125 BPM; deep house, above 115 | Relaxing without switching off: after work, at sunset, a quiet get-together |
| Nature sounds | No tempo | Recovering from stress: they speed up the return to calm compared with urban noise, according to Alvarsson et al., 2010 |
What matters most, according to the studies, is that you like the music. In Labbé's trial, relaxing music chosen by each participant worked as well as classical music. And in another by Sharman and Dingle (2015), extreme metal fans who listened to their own music after being made angry did not get angrier: the music matched their arousal and boosted their positive emotions.
Chill music with a beat: the case of deep house and lounge
Deep house was born in Chicago in the 1980s, and in the 1990s chill out and electronic lounge became linked to the terraces of Ibiza, such as Café del Mar, where the sunset over the sea comes with mellow music. Deep house usually runs above 115 beats per minute: too fast for sleep, but it serves another purpose, relaxing without switching off. It works when you want to shed stress and stay active, for example after getting home from work or on an afternoon with friends.
One example is Chill Sunset Marina Sessions, an original deep house and lounge track by ESBUENISIMO MUSIC, the music channel of ESBUENISIMO LABS, the same company that publishes Vivarae News. It runs about five minutes at 122 BPM and, according to its description, is inspired by the sunsets of Ibiza, from the marina to Café del Mar.
Its structure shows in practice what the studies describe: it alternates calm sections with two build-ups and two drops. That tension and release is precisely the anticipation and climax that, according to Salimpoor, activate the brain's reward system. For the same reason, it is not a track for sleeping.
| Time | Section |
|---|---|
| 0:00 | Intro |
| 0:31 | Groove (bass comes in) |
| 1:03 | Rhodes piano chords |
| 1:34 | First build-up |
| 1:50 | First drop |
| 2:53 | Breakdown |
| 3:09 | Second build-up |
| 3:25 | Second drop |
| 4:28 | Outro |
What music does not do
- It does not shield you from stress to come. In Thoma's study, relaxing music before a stressful test did not lower cortisol; what improved was the nervous system's recovery afterwards.
- It does not replace treatment. The studies measure everyday stress. Anxiety or depression call for care from a health professional.
- Not all relaxing music relaxes everyone. Music you dislike, imposed on you, can have the opposite effect.
- Loud volume does not help. The WHO-ITU H.870 standard sets a safe-listening reference of 80 decibels for 40 hours a week for adults, and 75 decibels for children.
How to use relaxing music in everyday life
- Set an intention. Listening in order to relax was what lowered cortisol most in Linnemann's study.
- Pick what you like. People's own music worked as well as classical music in Labbé's trial.
- Match the tempo to the moment. Slow to close the day, moderate to study or work, and with more beat to rest without dozing off.
- Leave silences. A pause between tracks lowers pulse and breathing, according to Bernardi.
- Watch the volume, especially with headphones.
If you follow the music industry, read why YouTube Music will label songs made with AI and about Warner Music's lawsuit against the Ray-Ban owner. For a quiet night in, we also have ideas for games for a night in with friends. More in lifestyle.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best chill music to relax?
The music you enjoy, with a tempo that suits what you are after. Studies show effects with classical music, ambient and self-selected music; slow tempos lower pulse and breathing the most.
Does music lower cortisol?
It can. In a daily-life study, cortisol was lower when people listened to music to relax. However, listening to music before a stressful situation did not prevent cortisol from rising.
Is deep house good for relaxing?
It helps you relax without switching off, for example after work or at sunset. At more than 115 BPM and with drops, it is not the best choice for sleep.
What is a safe volume for listening to music?
The WHO and the ITU use 80 decibels for 40 hours a week as the reference for adults, and 75 decibels for children.
Do nature sounds help you relax?
An experiment with 40 people found that, after a stressful task, the body tends to return to calm sooner with nature sounds than with urban noise.
