Relieve hunger?
Three reasons why listening to classical music while eating is effective for dieting
Classical music, which is also incorporated into music therapy, is said to have the effect of stabilizing the mind and body of those who listen to it.
Furthermore, in recent years, scientific evidence has begun to prove that it may be effective for dieting.
This time, based on the experimental results of various institutions, we will explain three reasons why listening to classical music while eating is effective for dieting.
Reason 1. The brain releases hormones that make you less likely to feel hungry
It is said that listening to classical music activates the parasympathetic nervous system, producing a lot of "alpha (alpha) waves," the brain waves that are produced when the mind and body are relaxed.
Furthermore, if you remain in a relaxed state, a substance called "beta-endorphin" is secreted, which makes you less likely to feel hungry, and may help to suppress your appetite without straining yourself. [Note 1]
Beta-endorphin is a hormone also known as a narcotic substance in the brain, and is said to give a feeling of happiness.
It is said that when this hormone produces a state of pleasure, substances such as free fatty acids and ketone bodies act to alleviate hunger.
When you are on a diet, you are putting the brakes on your desire to eat as much as you want of whatever you want, but if you suppress your desires too much, the stress may make you ill.
Classical music, such as Mozart, which contains a lot of alpha waves, is said to relax the mind and body and stimulate the secretion of beta-endorphins.
If you're on a diet and want to avoid overeating, but don't want to feel too stressed, you might want to try listening to classical music while you eat.
[Note 1] National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Hospital: Eating Disorder Body Edition [pdf]
Reason 2. It increases blood volume and metabolism, and regulates the autonomic nervous system.
Poor blood flow impairs the metabolism of nutrients that convert to fat, such as lipids and carbohydrates, so when dieting, it is important to not only reduce food intake but also to improve metabolism.
It is said that listening to classical music increases blood volume and burns more energy in the body, which may help improve the efficiency of your diet.
When blood volume increases and metabolism improves, the body becomes more likely to lose weight, so it may be a good idea to listen to music not only while eating, but also before going to bed or while commuting to work or school.
Also, if you accumulate stress due to dieting, your autonomic nervous system may become disrupted, leading to despair and the urge to binge eat and drink.
Classical music helps balance the autonomic nervous system that has been disrupted by dieting, so it is also recommended for those who want to maintain motivation while dieting.
Reason 3. Slow-tempo classical music helps the satiety center function properly and prevents overeating
It is said that it takes about 15 minutes for a person's blood sugar level to rise and the satiety center to activate after they start eating.
Additionally, when people listen to music with a slow BPM while eating, they tend to eat less quickly. [Note 2]
Therefore, it is believed that slow-tempo classical music helps the satiety center function properly and prevents overeating.
According to the findings of an experiment published by Fairfield University in the US, slower music makes people eat more slowly than faster music.
In this experiment, 11 subjects were asked to eat while listening to lyrics-free songs at 56 BPM and 122 BPM, respectively, to see if there was any difference in the pace at which they ate.
The results of the experiment showed that when people ate while listening to fast music with a BPM of 122, they took food to their mouths about 4.4 times per minute, while when they ate while listening to slower music with a BPM of 56, they took food to their mouths about 3.8 times per minute.
Assuming you consume 30 kcal per bite, if you eat for 15 minutes while listening to music at 56 BPM until your satiety center kicks in, your total calorie intake will be 1,710 kcal.
On the other hand, if you eat while listening to music at 122 BPM, your total calorie intake will be 1,980 kcal. The difference between the two is 270 kcal, which is equivalent to one bowl of rice (160g).
People unconsciously adjust the pace of their eating to the tempo of the music they are listening to, so if you eat while listening to fast-tempo music, you run the risk of overeating before your satiety center kicks in.
However, slow-tempo classical music can help slow down the pace of your meal, which may activate your satiety center and reduce the amount of food you eat before putting down your chopsticks.
It depends on the speed of the performance, but if you're looking for famous classical music, how about Satie's "Gymnopedie" or Beethoven's "Pathétique"?
[Note 2] Fairfield University: The effect of music on eating behavior [English/pdf]
Enjoy classical music while you eat while dieting!
While you don't eat much at home, you may end up overeating when eating out, which may be due to the background music playing in the restaurant.
Listening to fast-paced or unrelaxing music while eating can make you unconsciously overeat.
On the other hand, there is a lot of classical music that is suitable to accompany meals.
If you're going to try dieting, why not try listening to classical music while you eat, as this may help support the diet's effectiveness?
Be sure to try out some of our recommended classical music, from " Healing Mozart ," which combines soothing natural sounds with beautiful Mozart classical pieces, to the Amazon best-seller " Brain Development Classics for Ages 0 and Up [2-CD Set] ."