What you hear while you eat can impact how fast you eat, according to recent research published in Appetite.
The scientists report that:
- People ate faster when they listened to music with a fast tempo (145 bpm). (Example: “Born to Run”—Bruce Springsteen)
- People ate slower when they listened to music with a slow tempo (45 bpm). (Example: “Call Out My Name”—The Weekend)
- When people listened to any kind of music—even the up-tempo stuff—they ate slower compared to when they ate in silence.
The researchers hypothesized that faster music makes people feel more aroused or excited, stimulating their senses and making them eat faster.
Slower music, on the other hand, may help people feel calmer and more relaxed, which could lead to more mindful eating.
The study’s findings also affirm something bigger: What people feel while they eat is important.
Folks who struggle to eat slowly and mindfully may be more likely to succeed if they take steps to feel more relaxed during meal times.
And if slow music—or tunes of any tempo helps—you do that, then it could be worth trying. Think of it as “setting the mood.”
Until next time
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PMID: 32682852
Mathiesen SL, Mielby LA, Byrne DV, Wang QJ. Music to eat by: A systematic investigation of the relative importance of tempo and articulation on eating time. Appetite. 2020 Dec 1;155:104801.