Impact of Instrumental Music on Heart Rate Variability in Ardent Music Listeners

Purpose: The autonomic nervous system serves as the final gateway by which music exerts a therapeutic effect on health and disease. The aim of the study is to find the effect of different instrumental music on heart rate variability (HRV) as a part of our pilot protocol for identifying suitable auditory stimuli for evaluating the autonomic functions by HRV analysis. Methodology: The effect of music on HRV was assessed by frequency domain parameters of HRV, i.e. total power (TP, variance of N‑N intervals over temporal segment), low frequency (LF, power in LF range), high frequency (HF, power in HF range), LF/HF ratio, LF%, and HF% using fast Fourier transform technology. Results: Flute was found to increase LF and HF as well as TP. Tabla and violin were found to increase HF% but had no effect on TP. This makes flute, table, and violin tranquilizing music. Piano was found to lower LF% and increase TP. Sitar and guitar were found to decrease HF%, as well as increase LF/HF ratio. They also increase TP. Conclusion: Although the results were not statistically significant, music is a low‑cost and safe adjuvant for intervention and therapy. Therefore, there is growing need for high‑quality research on the effects of music on the heart in both healthy individuals and patients.