Effect of Indian Classical Instrumental Music on Stress and Anxiety in Male Medical Students

Introduction: Medical professionals, especially medical students face a lot of stress and anxiety due to various challenges at personal and professional levels. Stress and anxiety affect their health and well-being and causes mental disturbance. Blood pressure, heart rate, and other biochemical parameters show an abnormal rise due to stress and anxiety. Music therapy using Indian classical instrumental music can help relieve this stress and anxiety and bring the biochemical parameters to normal levels. Aim: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the immediate and short term effects of Indian classical instrumental music on stress and anxiety using both qualitative and quantitative measurements on male medical students. Materials and Method: Fifty-six (56) healthy male medical students aged between 17-25 years were selected from Rajkiya Medical College, Jalaun (Uttar Pradesh), for a month-long music therapy which included listening to Indian classical instrumental music every day for thirty minutes. ADSS questionnaire, salivary cortisol, blood pressure, heart rate, and lipid profile other required parameters were recorded twice, once at baseline and another after one month of music therapy. Results: Post music therapy values revealed a significant decrease in ADSS score anxiety (4.36 ±1.39 v/s 3.36 ± 1.20 p<0.0001), depression (3.14 ± 1.70 v/s 2.23 ± 1.50, p<0.0001) Stress (4.54±1.91 v/s 3.39±1.77, p<0.0001) Salivary cortisol (4.04±1.39 v/s 3.33±1.35, p<0.0001). Further, a significant decrease was recorded in systolic blood pressure (122.53 ± 5.24 v/s 120.86 ± 2.50, p 0.0005) diastolic Blood Pressure (82.75 ± 5.36 v/s 80.82±1.74, p=0.0045) and heart rate (73.43±3.09 v/s 71.99±1.15, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that listening to Indian classical instrumental music notably reduces salivary cortisol, blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, blood glucose, and lipid profile, and helps to relieve stress and anxiety in male medical students. However, further studies on a larger population are required to make a general policy to facilitate the better mental health of medical students.