SANTA’S REINGEAR
Last Christmas best festive driving song
LAST Christmas by Wham! is the best festive tune for a long drive, say scientists studying mental alertness.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s 1984 hit has the perfect 108 beats per minute, a study found.
Analysis by Brunel University, London, Coventry University and the Economic and Social Research Council found tunes with a moderate-to-fast tempo range – 100 to 130bpm – were ideal for keeping drivers’ brains alert. Of the other Yuletide tracks studied, Stay Another Day by East 17 was the worst at a snoozeinducing 64bpm. Shakin’ Stevens’
Merry Christmas Everyone, at a frenetic 202bpm, was likely to cause speeding, the research for insurer Direct Line found.
Sport psychologist Professor Costas Karageorghis, of Brunel University, said: “Mild mental stimulation through music can be beneficial on long motorway drives.”
As well as getting the tempo right, he advised a driving playlist with “positive lyrics” and “engaging instrumentation”.