Several clinical studies have indicated the effectiveness of music on stress; however, the study results are inconsistent. Moreover, no known published studies have investigated nurses' appreciation of music and the effects of music on job-related stress.

To examine the effects of music preference and intervention on stress indices.

Using a cross-over design, 54 subjects were randomly assigned to music/ chair rest or chair rest/music sequence for 30 minutes respectively. Subjects in the music condition listened to lento music by headphones throughout 30 minutes. In the chair rest condition subjects sat quietly for 30 minutes. Using a repeated measures design, subjects' heart rate, mean arterial pressure(MAP), finger temperature, and cortisol were measured before the study and every 15 minutes interval until the end of the whole procedure. Subjected stress was measured with visual analogue scale before the study, and at the end of the each condition. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance.

The mean score of music appreciation was 8.81 (SD = 1.05), and was significantly associated with MAP, cortisol, stress, and finger temperature. Subjects when listened to music compared with chair rest had lower perceived stress level, cortisol, heart rate, and MAP as well as higher finger temperature (all p < 0.05 to 0.001). Paired t-test results were also significant for posttest heart rate, cortisol, finger temperature and MAP between the two conditions (p < 0.05 to 0.001).

The findings provided evidence to use soothing music as a research-based intervention for stress reduction.