I always feel great after getting good workout. When I listen to music while working out, I feel even more energized and happier when the workout ends! Recently, a psychology professor @ Ohio State University, Charles Emery conducted a study to determine the effects of music and exercise on the brains of cardiac rehabilitation patients.

The study included 33 men and women and this was “the first study to look at the combined effects of music and short-term exercise on mental performance.” Most of the study’s participants had undergone bypass surgery, angioplasty or cardiac catheterization. Why did they do this study on cardiac rehab. patients? Coronary artery disease may compromise cognitive ability, Emery said; that’s why he and his colleagues chose cardiac rehabilitation patients for this study.

Researchers had participants complete a verbal fluency test before and after 2 sepearate sessions of exercsing on a treadmill. Workouts were scheduled 1 week apart and lasted 30 minutes. Participants in the study listened to classical music (”The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi) during one of their workouts. Why would they choose “The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi? “We used ‘The Four Seasons’ because of its moderate tempo and positive effects on medical patients in previous research,” Emery said. “But given the range of music preferences among patients, it’s especially important to evaluate the influence of other types of music on cognitive outcomes.”

As a way to measure anxiety and depression, participants completed a 30-item checklist before and after exercise. The list included adjectives to describe the patient’s current mood. The researchers also tested each person’s verbal fluency before and after each exercise session by asking participants to generate lists of words in specific categories. Why did they choose to test verbal fluency? “This kind of task challenges the part of the brain that handles planning and abstract thought as well as a person’s capacity for organized verbal processing,” Emery said.

When Exercising, Bump Some Of Your Favorite Tunes!

Participants reported feeling better emotionally and mentally after working out regardless of whether or not they listened to music. However, the improvement in verbal fluency test performance after listening to music was more than double that of the non-music condition. Exercise seems to cause positive changes in the nervous system, and these changes may have a direct effect on cognitive ability,” Emery said.

“Listening to music may influence cognitive function through different pathways in the brain. The combination of music and exercise may stimulate and increase cognitive arousal while helping to organize cognitive output,” said Emery. Music therefore can be used as a major catalyst for positive personal change and increased brainpower when used in conjunction with exercise!

References: Ohio State University. “A Little Music With Exercise Boosts Brain Power, Study Suggests.” ScienceDaily 24 March 2004. 10 January 2008.

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