Listening to music can make up for mental fatigue while running – study
Listening to music while running could help improve people's performance when they feel mentally fatigued – study
The research found that the performance of runners who listened to a self-selected playlist as they ran after completing a demanding thinking task was at the same level as when they were not mentally fatigued.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh used two tests to study how listening to music affectedtherunningof18fitness enthusiasts.
One test looked at the effects on interval running capacity alternatingbetweenhighintensity running and lower intensity jogging - with a group of nine exercisers, and the other on a 5km time-trial with a group of nine trained runners.
The groups completed a 30-minute computer based cognitivetestwhichputthemin amentallyfatiguedstatebefore completinghighintensityexercise.
They were tested with and without motivational music which they selected.
The research team took into account the results of a baseline test taken by participants which they did without completing a mentally demanding test beforehand and without music.
The researchers found the interval running capacity amongthementallyfatiguedfitnessenthusiastswasmoderatelygreaterwithmusiccompared to without music, and was the same as when the participants were not mentally fatigued.
The 5km time-trial performances also showed small improvements with self-selected music versus no music.
Researchers say the positive effectsofmusiccouldpotentiallybeduetoalteredperceptionof effort when listening to tunes.
Dr Shaun Phillips, of the University of Edinburgh's Moray House School of Education and Sport, said: "The findings indicate that listening to self-selected motivational music may be a useful strategy to help active people improve their endurance runningcapacityandperformance
when mentally fatigued.” Examples of songs participants listened to included Everyday (A$ap Rocky), Addicted To You (Avicii), Run This Town
(Jay-z), Power (Kanye West), No One Knows (Queens of the Stone Age) and Eye of the Tiger (Survivor).
Duringtheexercise,heartrate
and rating of perceived exertion were measured at several points.