Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences (SJAMS) ISSN 2320-6691 (Online)

Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., 2017; 5(6D):2301-2305 ISSN 2347-954X (Print)

©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher
(An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources)
www.saspublishers.com DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i06.048

Original Research Article

Psychophysical effects of Music in Exercise

Dr. Radhika Gujjala1, Dr. G. Madhavi Latha2, Dr. S. Usha Devi3
1
Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh.
2
Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, GMC, Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh.
3
Professor, Department of Physiology, GMC, Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh.

*Corresponding author
Dr. Radhika Gujjala
Email: radhika.gujjala@yahoo.com

Abstract: For years researchers have investigated the effects of music on exercise performance. Humans respond to
rhythmical qualities of music by synchronizing movement pattern to tempo. Synchronous music has shown to produce an
ergogenic effect. Music has a positive effect on performance. This study is to know the psychophysical effects of music
in exercise domain and to study the influence of lyrics of music on exercise. In present study 30 female medical students
of age group between 18 - 20years were chosen. Each subject underwent 4 sessions of exercise. Sessions without music,
slow melody music of familiar language, fast beat music with familiar language lyrics and fast beat music with unknown
language lyrics. In each session Duration of exercise, Distance covered and Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were
recorded. Exercise performance was better when subjects exercised with music. The duration of exercise and distance
covered was more for fast beat music compared to slow melody. There was no significant difference in the effect of
lyrics of familiar local language or unknown language on work done. But the Perceived exertion was less during exercise
with musical lyrics in known local language compared to lyrics in unknown language. Lyrics seem to convey the
meaning and generate thoughts and feelings with its wordings. The motor co-ordination is better when body is in sync
with the tempo of music and not much influenced by the lyrics.
Keywords: Lyrics, Music, Perceived exertion.

INTRODUCTION times, like in traditional snake boat race in Kerala.

Music is a major part of our environment. Music can reduce perception of exhaustion during a
Music is often referred to as "The International moderate work & boost physical output.
Language". We may not understand the words to a
particular song, but we do understand the beauty of Syncing movements with musical beats
music. Music has influenced human beings since the increases stamina, co-ordination & improves the work
dawn of civilization. It can calm & revitalize us in a outcome. “Music is like a legal drug for Athletes “says
variety of ways. It can elevate our moods & even reduce Costas Karageorghis [2]. Components of music from
the stress and pain. Soft & soothing music can help to the lyrics to tempo can affect performance by changing
unwind & Fast music for exercising. Szabo and a person’s mind set or distracting from discomfort.
colleagues [1] studied the effects of slow-rhythm and
fast-rhythm classical music on progressive cycling to Music has been widely recommended as a
voluntary physical exhaustion. Every person would technique to enhance the psychophysical state of
have enjoyed music at some point in life. It is participants in sport and exercise. Listening to music
impossible to hold the body still when music is playing. during exercise can delay both fatigue and lessen the
subjective perception of fatigue. It can increase physical
The interplay between Music and Exercise is capacity, improve emergency efficiency and influence
not of recent origin. There are many historical mood. The increased interest in the potential
evidences of people singing while doing labor & field physiological and psychological properties of music in
work. Music or sound has been used to enhance exercise physiology had stimulated us to do this study.
performance in team exercises or sports from ancient The aim of the study is to know the psychophysical
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Radhika Gujjala et al., Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., Jun 2017; 5(6D):2301-2305
effects of music in exercise domain and to study the same time of the day for each subject. The music was
influence of lyrics of music on exercise. played from android with head phones. In no music
session head phones were worn but no music was
MATERIAL AND METHODS: played. For slow melody music a classical song with
The present study was carried out on 30 lyrics in known local language was taken. Here Telugu
healthy female medical students of age group between song was played as the subject’s mother tongue was
18-21 years at Government Medical College, Telugu. For Fast beat music a local language with
Ananthapuramu, Andhrapradesh. Prior approval from known lyrics, Telugu song was chosen. For Fast beat
Institutional Ethical committee was obtained. Study music with lyrics of unknown language, Malayalam
was explained and Informed consent was taken from all song was played.
selected population.
The duration for which the subjects walked
Inclusion criteria being clinically healthy was decided by themselves till their exhaustion. The
without any chronic respiratory disease, subjects were not made aware of the distance & the
musculoskeletal illness, cardiac or neurological time they walked to prevent goal setting. Post exercise
problem or hearing disorders. Subject were informed of parameters like Heart rate, Blood pressure &
the experimental procedure, equipment & it’s function. Respiratory rate, Rating of Perceived Exertion with
The subjects were made to run on Tread mill before the Borg scale [3] were recorded. Statistical analysis was
actual test session so as to overcome anxiety. Records analyzed by percentages, numbers, Z test and the p
of age, height, weight & calculation of BMI of each value <0.05 was considered as significant.
subject was done at the first visit. Parameters like BP,
Heart rate, Respiratory rate were assessed prior to the RESULTS:
exercise. All the exercises were performed on a exercise All the 30 volunteers recruited for the study
testing Treadmill instrument. All subjects were completed the study. The duration of exercise and the
instructed to refrain from eating for 4 hours prior to distance covered during exercise was maximum with
testing. Each testing session took place at fast music, followed by slow music and least with no
approximately same time of day (8am - 9am). music condition. There is no significant difference in
the duration and the distance covered during exercise
Treadmill exercise protocol with an inclination while exercising with fast music with lyrics in known
of 2% was maintained. Initial speed was 3 kph for first local language and fast music with lyrics in foreign
3 minutes, which was increased to 4.5 kph in next 3 language.
minutes. At the end of 6 minutes speed was increased to
6 kph& this was maintained throughout the session. Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE):
This speed coincided with 70-80% of the HR max for The subjective feeling of exertion is measured
that subject. with Borg scale [3] at the end of exercise. The exertion
levels were significantly lower with music than without
Four exercise sessions were conducted. One music (Table 3). There was no significant difference in
control session (without music) and 3 experimental the exertion levels between the fast and slow rhythm
sessions were applied to each subject (slow melody music (Table 4). Exercising with fast music with lyrics
music of familiar language , fast beat music of familiar in known local language and fast music with lyrics in
language lyrics & fast beat music of unknown language foreign language did show significant difference in
lyrics). All these sessions were taken 2 days apart at the Rating of perceived exertion (Table 5).

Table 1: Anthropometric profile of study subjects :

PARAMETERS SUBJECTS (Mean±SD)
Age in Years 18. 42 ± 0.8
Body weight ( kgs ) 52 .6 ± 6.28
Height ( cms ) 162 ± 4.73
BMI ( Kg/m2 ) 20.34 ± 2.68

Table 2: Resting basal parameters :

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Radhika Gujjala et al., Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., Jun 2017; 5(6D):2301-2305
PARAMETERS SUBJECTS (Mean±SD)
Heart rate (beats /min ) 72.8 ± 2.2
Respiratory rate ( resp/ min ) 17 .3 ± 1.1
Systolic BP ( mm Hg ) 114 ± 2.2
Diastolic BP ( mm Hg ) 74 ± 1.34

Table 3: Comparison of Duration of exercise, Distance covered, RPE of no music and slow music among
participants:
PARAMETERS NO MUSIC SLOW MUSIC P value SIGNIFICANCE
Duration of
7.24 ± 2.01 8.96 ± 4.32 0.048 significant
exercise (minutes)
Distance covered
0.9 ± 0.37 1.2 ± 0.52 0.01 significant
(Km )
Rating of
Perceived Exertion 14.81 ± 2.56 13.08 ±0.12 0.0002 significant
( RPE )

Table 4: Comparison of Duration of exercise, Distance covered, RPE under influence of slow and fast music
among participants:
PARAMETERS SLOW MUSIC FAST MUSIC P value SIGNIFICANCE
Duration of
8.96 ± 4.32 11.86 ± 3.341 0.0036 significant
Exercise(minutes)
Distance covered
1.2 ± 0.52 1.6 ± 0.86 0.0293 significant
(Km )
Rating of
Perceived Exertion 13 . 08 ± 0.12 10 . 08 ± 1.21 0.05 Just significant
(RPE)

Table 5: Comparison of Duration of exercise, Distance covered, RPE under influence of lyrics of different
languages:
FAST MUSIC with FAST MUSIC with
PARAMETERS lyrics in unknown lyrics in known local P value SIGNIFICANCE
foreign language language
Duration of
exercise 11.70 ± 2.38 11.86 ± 3.341 0.8308 Not significant
(minutes)
Distance covered
1.4 ± 0.67 1.6 ± 0.86 0.315 Not significant
(Km)
Rating of
Perceived 12.04 ± 2.98 10 . 08 ± 1.21 0.0008 Significant
Exertion (RPE)

DISCUSSION: 2) Music increases mental arousal and helps to

In this study an attempt is made to understand perform exercise better [2].
the relationship between the physical and psychological 3) Improvement of motor co-ordination when
stimulus of music and the responses that enable the body is in sync with music and boosts self
exerciser to achieve better results. Various features of confidence.
music are rhythm, tempo, loudness and lyrics. Research 4) A physiological relaxation response: by
suggests that music directly affects exercise motivation products of exercise such as acidosis &
by many ways: elevated hormones may be suspended by
1) Music reduces feeling of fatigue and music thus enhancing performance [4].
motivates them [2].

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Radhika Gujjala et al., Sch. J. App. Med. Sci., Jun 2017; 5(6D):2301-2305
In present study Tempo of music boosted
participant’s speed in a predictable manner. The results The second aspect in this study was, the effect
confirm that the distance covered and the duration of of lyrics in music on exercise is studied. The Lyrics
exercise was more when the subject was exposed to have an additional effect of language, the meaning it
slow or fast music, than exercise without music. The conveys and the thoughts and feelings it generates with
distance covered was more with fast music than with its wordings. Here we chose to play music with lyrics in
slow music. known local language and music with lyrics of
unknown language, both of fast tempo tracks. The
In this study it wass observed that exercise perceived exertion was less during music with lyrics of
performance was better when subjects were exercising known local language compared to lyrics in unknown
with music (slow melody or fast beat) compared to no language. The lyrical content of music during fast- beat
music and also observed that there was significantly exercise had no significant influence on duration of
less Perceived Exertion during music with lyrics in exercise, whether it is in familiar language or foreign
known local language compared to lyrics in unknown language. It appears to be the back ground beat and
language. rhythm that is influencing the exercise rather than the
meaning of its lyrics.
Several studies have shown that exercising
while listening to music decreased the Perceived CONCLUSION:
Exertion levels and improved the exercise performance In the present study, it was observed that
when compared to exercising in silence [5, 6]. exercise performance was better when subjects were
exercising with music (slow melody or fast beat)
Exercising with fast music had greater arousal compared to no music. Music reduces feeling of fatigue.
effect and greater work accomplishment [1]. Music acts The duration of exercise and the distance covered were
as a distracter to bodily awareness and also as mood more for fast beat music compared to slow melody.
enhancer. Music facilitates exercise performance by However there seems to be no significant difference in
reducing the sensation of fatigue, increasing the effect of lyrics of familiar local language or
psychological arousal, dissociation, promoting unknown foreign language on the duration of exercise
relaxation and improving motor co-ordination [1]. and the distance covered. The motor co-ordination is
better when body is in sync with the tempo of music
Listening to music while exercising can release and not much influenced by the lyrics.
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