Evaluation of the effect of Indian classical music on the blood sugar level of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus patients.

Abstract

Background: Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus, being a major health care problem, needs to be managed holistically. Stress has been identified as an important etiological factor and music therapy helps to alleviate it; a study has been conducted to assess the effect of Indian Classical Music on blood sugar level of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus patients vis-à-vis non-diabetic individuals.  Methodology: An interventional study was conducted on Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus patients attending Medicine outpatient department (OPD) receiving oral antidiabetic agents with same dosage regimen for the past two months. Similarly non-diabetic healthy volunteers were recruited from the general population after taking their informed consent. Random blood sugar (RBS) was estimated without and with exposure to Raga Bageshree for 30 min in test and control group subjects respectively. Result: On applying relevant statistical tests to the data generated, significant reduction in blood sugar was found in individual groups i.e both control and test groups of non-diabetic as well as diabetic subjects. But, there was no statistical difference in the change in blood sugar level in test groups versus control groups in diabetic as well as non-diabetic patients. (p=0.789, p=0.379). Conclusion: No statistically significant improvement in blood sugar level was observed in diabetic as well as non-diabetic test subjects because of music. Considering small sample size, single exposure to music as limitations and also looking at it as the first study of its kind, long term studies involving a larger sample size and chronic exposure to music are recommended for definite conclusion.