Effect of a Mindfulness State Induced by Marconi Union’s Weightless on Perceived Loneliness: A Pilot Study

Background: Loneliness is associated with increases in risk for cardiovascular disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, there is an urgent need for treatments that can help reduce loneliness. Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness techniques may help reduce the experience of loneliness. Digital sound therapy that incorporates biofeedback can help individuals enter a mindfulness state with minimal effort by simply listening to sound. One song titled Weightless by Marconi Union has been called the most relaxing song in the world with the capacity to reduce anxiety by 65% and equivalent to midazolam6. We hypothesize that watching the “Weightless” video in the morning, combined with feedback from a survey for 6 weeks, will improve mindfulness and decrease perceived loneliness. Methods: Design: Pilot feasibility survey study. Participants: Rowan University faculty, staff, and students, ages 18-65. Participants listened to Weightless daily for 28 days and recorded their focus scores using Google Forms. Loneliness was measured at baseline and 28 days using the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Recruitment was performed via the Rowan Daily Mail newsletter. Outcome measures included changes in loneliness scores and adherence to daily listening and journaling. IRB Approval: Rowan-SOM IRB # PRO-2024-168. Results: Upon Survey dissemination, 6 participants filled out the initial intake. Out of the 6 participants, 2 submitted at least one daily log. Additionally, only one re-evaluation form was submitted. No participants completed a whole 4-week routine of listening to Weightless. One participant was excluded from the study because they were involved in other loneliness studies. The UCLA score intake form, completed across five patients, averaged 59, indicating high levels of loneliness. Daily log results indicated that one participant's concentration had an average of 5.1/10, ranging from 2 to 7, over 10 documentation days. Re-evaluation UCLA score: 61, indicating a high level of loneliness despite 10-day participation in the study Conclusion: This pilot study supports the feasibility of digital sound-based mindfulness interventions for loneliness while maintaining complete anonymity. While initial recruitment yielded a low number of participants, this suggests several dissemination trials are needed. Sustaining engagement for 28 days posed a significant challenge. Future studies should integrate automated reminders and participant incentives to improve retention while maintaining anonymity.