5 reasons to listen to music when you exercise

How much more fun is your workout with great music in your headphones? However, there are many more benefits to listening to the right music when you’re lifting heavy at the gym or speeding along the running track. Here are five reasons why you should always listen to music when you work out.

Music can affect us in many ways. Among other things, it can motivate, calm, and evoke memories. There are simply endless ways that music can help us get through the day.

According to Ronna Kaplan, a music therapist at Cleveland State University, music is incredibly beneficial for our mental health. One occasion when music can really make a difference is when we exercise. It can actually be a decisive factor in maximizing your workout.

“There’s a reason why you start tapping your foot when a certain song starts playing,” Joy Allen at Berklee College of Music in Boston tells HuffPost.

Here are five reasons why you should listen to music when you exercise.

1. Your body will move to the beat 

When it comes to exercise, your body will automatically adapt to the tempo of the music. 

“That’s how our brains are wired to rhythm,” says Joy Allen.

When choosing music for a workout, whether it’s a walk or a run, choose a song with a tempo that is close to your natural running or walking pace.

“Go with what feels comfortable, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different songs.”

2. Music can act as a tempo booster

If you want an extra challenge, choose a song with a tempo that is slightly faster than your average running or walking pace.

You can start with a song with a slower tempo and gradually increase the speed by choosing songs with faster beats. If you want to get faster, either by walking or running faster, this is a great way to get there.

3. Music motivates you

Have you ever arrived at the gym, realized you forgot your headphones, and then had a bad workout—or even skipped the workout and gone home? According to Joy Allen, this is far from uncommon. There is an important reason why music is such an integral part of so many people’s workouts.

The music you listen to during a workout helps with motivation, and there are several explanations for this.

Firstly, you probably want to listen to your favorite songs when you work out because they keep you going for longer.

On the other hand, if you put on unexpected new music, perhaps a reggaeton playlist you’ve never listened to before instead of your usual pop playlist, you’ll be curious about what’s next on the list, which can also make you want to exercise longer.

“Always listening to the same things can be good, but sometimes it can have the opposite effect and make us feel bored and tired. Listening to the same music every workout can also have a negative effect on motivation,” Joy Allen tells HuffPost.

4. Music distracts

No one wants to focus on how tough the workout feels when they’re in the middle of it, right? If anything, you don’t even want to think about it. When you sing along to lyrics or are reminded of events associated with certain songs, your mind wanders—you no longer think about how hard it is.

Music also prevents you from getting bored during a workout, something that can easily happen otherwise when you are walking or running on a treadmill, for example. Music activates the brain by giving your mind something else to think about.

5. Choose the music yourself – and get more out of your workout

When you choose the music you listen to yourself, you will get better results, whether you are exercising or doing something else, such as meditating, explains Ronna Kaplan.

A recent study led by the Department of Kinesiology at Samford University in Alabama found that “if the music being played is not appreciated by the individual performing the strenuous activity, performance may suffer. Therefore, coaches and athletes should consider individual music preferences when trying to optimize performance and training.”

This is further proof of how important it is to listen to music you like when you exercise.

In addition, you often feel that you are in a better mood when you exercise to music you have chosen yourself, which can make you appreciate the workout more.

It’s a win-win situation, according to Ronna Kaplan. If you feel happy and satisfied after your workout, you are also more likely to exercise again.

And that increases your chances of achieving your fitness goals.