Can music reduce anxiety?

Yes, music can reduce anxiety. Andrew Huberman discusses a study from the University of Pennsylvania that found significant reductions in anxiety levels by listening to the song "Weightless" by Marconi Union. The reduction measured was up to 65% after just three minutes of listening, comparable to the effects of commonly prescribed benzodiazepines. Huberman himself reported feeling more relaxed after listening, despite not being anxious at the time. This finding suggests that music, with its different frequencies and motifs, can alter our internal state by changing the firing rates of neurons and the release of neurochemicals, thereby influencing our emotions and bodily physiology 1.