Ray LaVoie
Each new day begins with a ritual that has defined my approach to well-being. Whether it is a weekend or weekday, the alarm clock embedded in my brain signals that it’s time to get this body moving, literally.
Some individuals prepare their office attire the prior evening for their morning commute. As such, my evenings are focused on my next morning’s workout attire – long-or short-sleeve wicking tees, shorts or sweatpants and which pair of Hokas to lace up before engaging the treadmill and weight equipment.
It’s not until I arrive at my workout destination that my most revered pieces of equipment are set in place – my Apple AirPods and iPhone. Just the thought of placing these little white earbuds into my external auditory canals and syncing them to my iPhone brings music to my ears.
Reading Megan Brokamp’s article, Music is Medicine, instilled thoughts of the importance of music to positive mental health outcomes. With this in mind, I began to more deeply explore the relationship of exercise and health and how music combined with exercise enhances well-being.
The formula is simple. Listening to music during exercise enhances the quality of a workout and as a result improves mental well-being. The exercise literature is replete with study after study reinforcing this concept.
It’s important not to overlook the specific benefits of music while exercising. Music while exercising can:
Increase endurance. Research confirms that music can make exercise feel less difficult and thus improve endurance.
Elevate mood. Why is it that upbeat music reverberates through speakers in many, if not most workout facilities? For most people, upbeat music elevates workout intensity and promotes an uplifting mood.
Improve performance. Yes, music can motivate you to walk or run faster, swim better and bike uphill easier.
The advantage of listening to music during exercise is easy to adapt. You can select the genre of music you prefer. You can also create a lengthy playlist to get you through an entire workout.
When music is integrated with exercise, the physical and mental impact is notable.
Brain health. Research shows that cognitive function improves.
Reduce anxiety. The combination of music and exercise enables one to relax more easily both during and after working out.
Reduced pain. The discomfort of many physical ailments such as arthritis is reduced.
Cardiovascular health. Whether immersed in listening to hip-hop or Beethoven during a workout, the results on the cardiovascular system are similar. Heart function is improved and blood pressure is reduced.
In summary, Confucius was correct in saying that, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”
If Confucius were alive today, I would send him an email asking that his quote be modified to include “exercise” at its beginning. The synergistic effects of music and exercise to health cannot be denied.
Healthfully,
Phil Heit
Executive Director
