Why does music motivate you to exercise?

• April 25, 2024

Listening to music is beneficial for those who must exercise, because it increases the physical performance , particularly for those with heart disease and high rates of overweight , reveal various studies, according to the magazine Scientific American.

Music increases the physical performance up to 20% in these people, in addition to giving them a better perspective on their training, as they consider it easier, explains Mark A. Andrews, from the physiology department at Lake Erie College.

"Almost everyone has experienced the relief that music brings to training: it increases motivation, distracts from fatigue and experiences a feeling of passing time more quickly."

In this regard, specialists say that music increases the physical performance and the sensation of alertness because it contributes to the segregation of brain substances (neurotransmitters) that promote mood, as well as opiate substances, which are linked with pleasure and euphoria.

Aerobic exercise and basic physiological functions, such as breathing and heartbeat, are, like music, rhythmic activities. Since our organism is accustomed to rhythms, the influence of rhythmic sounds helps us to organize our physical movements.

In the case of an aerobic exercise, it seems that a simple and fast rhythm is important. According to research, heavy metal, fast pop or hip-hop are suitable genres to stimulate the nervous system and facilitate physical behavior and body expression, which translates into greater physical performance .

However, those exercises designed to lose weight apparently do not cause the same waves in the brain, because their rhythm is different, compared to traditional aerobics.

Therefore, according to the researchers, this could be a reason why sometimes it costs a little more work to continue with an established training that, in addition to helping to lose weight, increases the physical performance .