Sounds good: New research suggests tennis can reduce anxiety by up to 50%

It's common knowledge exercise can reduce anxiety. New research suggests just listening to tennis creates a sense of zen. According to the Daily Mail, "The thwacking sound of a tennis racket on a ball can reduce anxiety with its deep bass, subtle crispness and variable pitch." 

Daily Mail's Roger Dobson reports, "Scientists found stress levels dropped by up to half for those diagnosed with chronic anxiety after they listened to the 'soothing sound' of tennis." Apparently, the sonics of tennis produce a calming effect on the brain because of the rhythm. It's suggested that the tempo, around one second between each stroke, appears to be similar to the beat of popular music.

"The study involved 100 people with chronic anxiety who were divided into two groups, one of which listened to tennis for five minutes, with anxiety levels measured before and after. The symptoms stayed the same among the control group, but fell significantly in the tennis group," reports Dobson.

Ahhhh... just listen to this next time you're feeling a bit anxious. YouTube: Modern Health.

The study can be found in journal Frontiers In Psychology by researchers from China West Normal University who postulate: "that one of the reasons people are drawn to tennis is its distinctive sound." And, "a considerable portion of the anxiety-alleviating effects of tennis [are] attributed to its comforting sound." 

The study notes, "The sound produced by the impact of a tennis ball encompasses a wide frequency range, resulting from the combination of sounds generated by the racket, strings, and the ball itself. This amalgamation creates a complete and pleasant sound... enhancing its enjoyable qualities."

Tennis, the study concludes, "is well-suited to the human auditory system. All this indicates that the alleviation of anxiety in tennis is not solely derived from the elevation of physical activity levels. The distinct and soothing sound it produces also serves as one of the contributing factors to anxiety relief."

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Written by Florida Tennis' Executive Editor and Publisher Matt Pressman. Sources:  Daily Mail, Frontiers In Psychology. Top photo: Happy Pixels via Pexel.