From a study by Morishita Akiyo :
This study examined the effectiveness of reducing stress by using classical music on resting females. Twenty females, 23.25.+-.0.68 years old, with normal hearing (experimental group N=10, control group N=10) participated in this study. The subjects in the experimental group were instructed to stay in supine position and listen to music whereas the subjects in the control group were instructed to stay in the same position and exposed to silence for about one and a half hours. The effectiveness of reducing stress was measured using STAI, POMS, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, heart rate variability, and plasma adrenaline concentrations. The differences between the pre-test and the post-test were compared. There were significant differences statistically between the experimental group and the control group in the scores of “Depression-Dejection”, “Fatigue” and “confusion” in POMS (p<0.05). The values of plasma adrenaline concentrations had an interaction effect of the two groups by two-way layout ANOVA. These results indicated that the experimental group experienced reduced stress as a result of listening to classical music [emphasis added] as compared to the control group. These findings suggest that classical music has the potential to be used with clinical patients suffering from stress. (author abst.)
The Red-haired Girl with a Violin Outdoors
Anpet2000
If you’re stressed, break out that classical CD and listen to it–it will not only relieve your depression and fatigue, but also reduce your adrenaline levels. Although this study was done on twenty-somethings, there’s plenty of evidence that it works regardless of your age. I myself have seen changes in seconds in children.