Stuck in a traffic jam? Flip to the Easy Listening station. Mellow music can quell your road rage, finds new research from the Netherlands.
Drivers who piloted a simulator along a complicated, curvy course were significantly more likely to weave out of their lane, speed, and collide with other vehicles while listening to “happy,” upbeat music as opposed to “sad” tunes, the study reveals.
Why? Fun, high-tempo beats appear to juice your energy levels, putting you in an excited emotional state that limits your attention and focus, explains study coauthor Marjolein van der Zwaag, Ph.D. But somber music has the opposite effect: It calms your emotions and so helps your mind stay focused behind the wheel, van der Zwaag adds.
The next time the weather’s crummy or the road’s clogged with construction barriers, throw on something with a slow, steady beat. And don’t wait until the song you’re listening to has ended—an abrupt shift is more effective at sharpening your focus than a gradual change in grooves, the research suggests.
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