#132: 🎶 The Science of Music and Human Connection
Why 75 BPM Might Be the Sweet Spot for Your Heart and Mind
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💬 In this note:
🎶 The Science of Music and Human Connection
📚 All Fours
⚡️ A Drink That Lowers Blood Alcohol Content
#132: 🎶 The Science of Music and Human Connection
Your heart beats approximately 75 times per minute when you're at rest.
This isn't just a random biological fact, it's the key to understanding why certain music makes us feel more connected to each other.
The Heartbeat Connection
Our physiological rhythms naturally sync around 75 BPM.
When we hear music at this tempo, our autonomic nervous system, the part that controls unconscious processes like breathing and heart rate, processes it with remarkable efficiency.
It has also been suggested that the best music to work to is around 60-75 BMP. Music in this tempo increases the efficiency of the brain in processing information.
This "synchronization effect" extends beyond individual experience.
When groups of people listen to music at these tempos together, their heart rates begin to align, creating what researchers call "physiological entrainment."
Tempo and Emotion: The Two-Factor Formula
Music's emotional impact operates on two psychological dimensions:
Arousal - How stimulating or calming the music feels
Valence - Whether we perceive it as positive or negative
Tempo primarily affects arousal levels by activating neurotransmitters responsible for alertness and cortical activity.
But here's where it gets interesting: our bodies don't just hear tempo, they compare it to our own heartbeat.
When you hear a song at 90 BPM (similar to a relaxed heartbeat), your brain interprets this as calming.
But play something at 140 BPM? Your body recognizes this as closer to an elevated heart rate, triggering feelings of excitement or even anxiety.
The Science of Musical Connection
Different tempos create different types of human connection:
Slow Tempos (60 BPM or less) - can evoke feelings of sadness, melancholy or introspection. This tempo can be suitable for intimate or reflective connections and conversations.
Medium Tempo (75-100 BPM) - is linked to relaxation. It can facilitate a sense of calm and ease, which can be conducive to connection. This tempo matches our resting heart rate, creating comfort.
Fast Tempo (120+ to > 200 BPM) - can make you feel positive emotions like happiness, excitement and liveliness. This can lead to synchronized movement, like on a dance floor.
Your Personal Rhythm
People have different preferences and reactions to music. It is best to experiment and find what resonates with individuals.
We can see this happening on the dance floor. Certain songs may empty a dance floor While others have people rushing to it.
Some songs lead people to talk on a dance floor. While other songs get people more in their bodies, moving, shaking and wanting to focus entirely on dancing.
While 75 BPM might be our biological baseline, individual preferences vary based on:
Cultural background
Personal associations with certain songs
Current emotional state
Physical fitness (athletes often have lower resting heart rates)
The key is awareness.
Notice how different tempos affect your mood and connections.
You might find that your "connection tempo" changes throughout the day or in different social settings.
Practice: The Heartbeat Playlist
Try this experiment:
Measure your resting heart rate (place two fingers on your wrist for 60 seconds)
Create three playlists at different beats per minute (BPM):
Below your heart rate (calming)
At your heart rate (connecting)
Above your heart rate (energizing)
Use them strategically:
Calming playlist for difficult conversations
Connecting playlist for social gatherings
Energizing playlist for motivation
Pay attention to how each affects your interactions with others.
Let me know how they work for you in the comments!
📚 Book of the Week
All Fours by Miranda July
Rating: ★★★★★
I picked up this book while I was doing my 48 hour phone detox.
Incredibly well-written, this story of semi-famous artist starts as she announces her plan to drive cross-country, from Los Angeles to New York City.
Thirty minutes into the drive, after leaving her husband and child at home, she spontaneously exits the freeway, checks into a nondescript motel, and immerses herself in an entirely different journey.
This book explores middle age from a woman’s perspective in a way that is deeply personally and universally resonant.
What struck me most about this book is July's fearlessness in tackling perimenopause and female sexuality.
July captures this phase of life when you realize your body is changing in ways you didn't expect and society has very little to say about it that's actually helpful.
She writes about the body with a mix of scientific curiosity and raw honesty that reminded me of how I approach health topics in Nina's Notes - looking at the science while never forgetting the human experience.
Highly highly recommend it.
This was a recommendation by Abi. Thanks Abi!
⚡️ Check This Out
Scientists created a drink that cuts your blood alcohol level in half in 30 minutes.
SureShot is the world’s only rapid alcohol reducer, designed to help you feel better faster by lowering blood alcohol content and supporting its metabolism.
The company claims that in just 30 minutes, Sure Shot helps your body break down alcohol, and each bottle contains 100 mg of caffeine for an added boost.
How does it work?
According to the company, the drink works by accelerating alcohol metabolism through a blend of vitamins, minerals, and botanical ingredients, including red ginseng, N-acetyl cysteine, dandelion extract, and milk thistle.
The company completed double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted by the Center for Applied Health Sciences, and showed that participants who consumed Sure Shot experienced a significant reduction in BAC within 30 minutes compared to the control group.
The study also noted improvements in aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, which aids in breaking down acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism, potentially reducing hangover symptoms.
Originally branded as Safety Shot, the company rebranded the product to Sure Shot in Q4 2024, though the holding company remains Safety Shot, Inc.
SureShot is available online in the U.S.
This was a recommendation by Harry. Thanks Harry for telling me to check this out!
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