Wherefore Art Thou Romeo? How Reciting Verse Reduces Stress

"Speaking in verse strongly affected respiratory sinus arrhythmia, or RSA, an indicator of synchronization, in a way that regular breathing or conversation did not. Regulating and slowing the pace of breathing through recitation was responsible for the lowering of stress."

"Five minutes of reading rhythmic poetry aloud can relax the mind better than deliberately slow-paced breathing, which, of course, is beneficial on its own for reducing anxiety."

European research demonstrates that reciting verse aloud produces significant synchronization between heart rate and respiration, measured through respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). This synchronization lowers mental stress by regulating and slowing breathing pace through the rhythm of spoken words. Regular breathing or conversation does not produce the same effect. According to study author Dietrich von Bonin, five minutes of reading rhythmic poetry aloud relaxes the mind more effectively than deliberately practicing slow-paced breathing, despite slow breathing's own anxiety-reducing benefits. The study examined people reciting ancient Greek texts, which were historically performed and sung, suggesting results may apply to other rhythmic verse forms like Shakespearean iambic pentameter.

Read at Psychology Today