By Gabe Sanders PhD, NSCA-CSCS
When you exercise, do you listen to music? Do you watch? Maybe you choose not to do any of those, instead you talk/ text on your cell phone. If you listen to music, it actually may be of more help than you realize. Research suggests that listening to your favorite music may help take your mind off of exercise. Keeping your mind occupied from the monotony of aerobic exercise by listening to music may allow you to better enjoy your workout. Music can enhance your workouts by reducing your perceived stress that is often caused by fatigue, which in turn, can help you feel more comfortable when exercising.
Regardless of the genre of music you prefer, selecting music that is upbeat with a faster tempo can help improve your workout intensity. There have been several research studies that have found fast tempo music can enhance exercise performance. In addition to exercise performance, music can help your autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for increasing/ decreasing your heart rate when your body needs it. This fluctuation in heart rate during exercise and at rest is known as heart rate variability and is an indicator of a healthy heart.
Contrary to music’s positive effects on exercise, the use of cell phones can adversely affect your performance. Talking / texting on a cell phone can decrease exercise intensity. There has been research from Kent State University to support this notion. Researchers found that listening to music significantly increased treadmill exercise intensity more than talking and texting on a cell phone.
Collectively, research supports the benefits of listening to music and not talking on a cell phone as you exercise. To fully enjoy and maximize your exercise sessions, avoid talking on your cell phone and listen to your favorite, upbeat music instead.
Article’s Resources
Edworthy J & Waring H. The effects of music tempo and loudness level on treadmill exercise. Ergonomics; 49:15, 1597-1610.
Rebold, M., Sanders, G.J., Barkley, J.E. The impact of cell phone use on the intensity and liking of a bout of treadmill exercise. American College of Sports Medicine. 2013; 45:(5).
Yamashita S, Iwai K, Akimoto T, Sugawara J, Kono I. Effects of music during exercise on RPE, heart rate, and the autonomic nervous system. Journal of Sport Medicine and Physical Fitness. 2006; 46:425-430