Music is like exercise. What you do for exercise doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you do it. And what you listen to doesn’t matter, as long as you listen.

Music can decrease the pain, depression and disability that commonly occur among people with osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other noncancerous types of chronic pain, according to research conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio and reported in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

People who listened to music for one hour a day for one week – whether they picked the tunes themselves or researchers provided them – felt more empowered and reported less pain, depression and disability than those who did not listen to music.

Average pain ratings among people who listened to music fell by about 20 percent, whereas pain among nonlisteners actually increased.

Your Brain's Response to Pain

Cue up your compact disc player or charge up your iPod, because your brain responds to the music you hear, says osteopathic physician Steven Stanos, medical director, Chronic Pain Care Center at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

“We think music stimulates areas of the brain that are responsible for releasing the body’s own painkillers,” he says. “Music stimulates the periaqueductal gray (PAG) area in the mid-brain, which is where we have our own opioid system.”

Imaging studies have shown that music can stimulate the brain’s pleasure center, increasing levels of the brain chemicals dopamine, which produces feelings of enjoyment, and substance P, which inhibits pain. And there is evidence from brain scans that music can block the area of the brain called the amygdala that is responsible for negative emotions such as stress, says Dr. Stanos.

There is no reason not to take time to listen to music. “It is distracting, pleasurable and has no side effects,” Dr. Stanos says. “People can use it to self-medicate just like they do with deep breathing or relaxation.

Classical music might be one of the best choices. By listening to slow-tempo classical music, pain from chronic osteoarthritis may ease, a recent study indicates. Researchers at the Florida Atlantic University College of Nursing, Boca Raton, found that participants’ pain levels decreased because they were distracted by the music. Stress levels did, too. Music therapists have also found that heart muscles synchronize to the beat of music, as does breathing. When classical music rhythms mimic the average resting heart – approximately 70 beats per minute – the soothing sounds actually helped to slow fast-beating hearts.

“Music has a lot of power,” says Joanne Loewy, PhD, director of music therapy for Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Loewy uses music to slow patients’ breathing and promote relaxation.

But all music is not created equal. Faster compositions stimulate the heart rate, and some can actually rev up the nervous system. When listening to this kind of music, pain may actually feel more acute. Steven Halpern, PhD, a composer of music for healing and relaxation, offers tips for finding a classical regimen that can decrease your stress level and keep your mind off your pain:

Pay attention to your breathing and heart rate. If your breathing slows down while you’re listening to a selection, you are being soothed by the music; stress will melt away. On the flip side, if your heart is racing after a selection, save that music for your exercise routine.

Make your own music compilations. Store-bought classical compilations often mix rousing, booming pieces with slower, more relaxing ones, causing you to feel relaxed one minute and worked up the next. Find a compilation designed with relaxation in mind, or create your own mixed tape of slow favorites.

If classical music isn’t your cup of tea, try jazz or new age genres. Although classical music is a favorite among researchers, Loewy says any type of music that makes a person feel good when listening to it can be effective. Turn to the tunes that suit you, but here are a few suggestions for classical music collections you can find online or in retail stores:

• "Beethoven for Relaxation"  
• "Chopin for Relaxation"
• "Vivaldi for Relaxation"
• "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe"
• "Music for Sound Healing."