And relax...

The music that calms us can be deeply personal, writes Claire Jackson, yet certain universal elements are scientifically proven to ease stress

- Claire Jackson

Once dinner is over and the dishes are cleared, we settle on the sofa to unwind. Elgar's Mina is playing; gentle string melodies emerge, furnished with delicate percussion. Jaws unclench and muscles relax as we are ensconced in the light music. A flash of green and pink at the window is accompanied by a loud gun-shot sound. The night sky is filled with glittering chandeliers. Inside, too, sparks fly. I turn up Debussy’s Rêverie and plump a cushion. My companion settles once more, soothed by the rippling piano. Recent studies have shown how certain music can lower cortisol, colloquially known as the stress hormone, resulting in various different applications. It’s the reason why, every Bonfire Night, Diwali, New Year - and any other time fireworks are prevalent - many cat and dog lovers turn to dedicated playlists to comfort their furry companions, who often find the stimuli overwhelming.

Such soundtracks – ‘Music for guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits’ on Apple Music features tinny recordings of the ‘Moonlight’ Sonata, the theme to Bach's Goldberg Variations and Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 – naturally focus on pieces with a slow pace and on-beat rhythms to reduce agitation. Classic FM's Pet Classics programme is co-curated with the RSPCA and includes music such as ‘Sheep may safely graze’ (Bach). The steady quavers and tidy cadences satisfy innate musical anticipation, reducing anxiety. Humans can derive benefit alongside their animals: with the sheep happy in their field there is no need to count them jumping over stiles during restless nights.

This therapeutic benefit of music is not a new discovery. Parents have sung to calm their children since time immemorial, with the lullaby becoming an established format during Romanticism. From Brahms's