1. The Stress Reduction in Daily Life
Effect Of Music Means
The Stress Reduction in Daily Life
Nevin Dinccag1, Coskun Oruc2, Sevim Oncul3, Sevda Yıldız Ozel4, Cengizhan Sonmez5, Beyhan Omer2
¹Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism,
²Department of Biochemistry, ³Department of Physciatry, 4Department of Bioistatistics and Medical Informatics,
5 Bahcesehir Music Society, Istanbul

2. Introduction
Stress has potential to be major health treat facilitating the development of illness.
 It’s assumed that music has been associated with dawn-regulation of HPA axis as shown via reductions in the concentrations of cortisol in various experimental and clinical trials.
There are some reports that chorists in choral soceity are influenced by music positively during their activities.

3. Objective
Our aim is to investigate whether the participants engaged in music are influenced by music.
Thirtyseven volunteer, healthy chorists who perform Turkish art music two hours per week in Bahcesehir Music Society, were included into this study.

4. Demografic features of participants
Total, n 37
Female / Male: n, (%):
25 (67) / 12 (33)
Age (years)
50.3 ± 10.3
Retired/ Active employee: n, (%):
24 (64) / 13 (36)
Smoking- alcohol usage Yes/No: n, (%):
8 (21) / 29 (79)
Daily musical activities; 1-3 hours / > 5 hours: n,(%)
14 (37) / 23 (63)

5. Objective
The state and trait anxiety status of chorists was evaluated by using a Likertscale, which is developped by C. Spielberger and proven to be in Turkey since 1977, at the beginning and at the end of choir, on chorus activity day.
Results of Likertscale (ranging from 20 to 80 : low scores indicate low levels of stress and high scores indicate high levels of stress, respectively) was evaluated by an expert.
After each assesments at two time points: and , chorists were asked to collect saliva samples for cortisol levels to be measured later.

6. Objective
Participants were requested to repeat the same procedure at similar times of any day in their normal lives.
Results of Cortisol levels were measured by using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.
All data was evaluated with SPSS 20 version.

7. Results
While mean cortisol levels (ng/dL) were detected as ± and ±179.50, respectively, at hours and on the normal day of life (Group I); the levels observed as ± and ±91.67, respectively, on chorus working day (Group II) at similar hours.
When we compared difference of cortisol levels between groups; % increase (mean ± 39.0) was detected in Group I; on contrary difference of cortisol levels was found as ± by decreasing % 33 in Group II (p<0.02).

8. Results
In both groups mean stress scores were within normal limits and it was found as 47.8±4.9; 41.4±4.9, in Group I and II, respectively.
Fourteen percent decrease in stres scores was observed in the Group II ; this value was found statistically significant in women, individuals with non-alcoholic, but smokers, active employees and people who have engaged less time in music (p<0.04).

9. Conclusion
We can say that individuals who perform a two-hour Turkish art music per week, are affected positively by music different from the day of their normal life.
Particularly due to the fact that music is very popular, cost-effective and easly applicable in daily life, it seems promising to use music in daily life as strategy for stress reduction.

10. References
Khalfa S. et all. Effects of relaxing music on salivary cortisol level after psychological stres. Ann N.Y Acad. Sci. 999: , 2003.
Linnemann A et all. Music listening as means of stress reduction in Daily life. Psychoneuroendocrinology 60: 82-90, 2015.
Linnemann A et all. The stress-reducing effect of music listening varies depending on the social context. Psychoneuroendocrinology 72: , 2016.