If you have recently joined the gym, you may be surprised at the number of people that choose to listen to earphones as they work out, but is there any reason for this?
According to researchers, several scientific benefits can distract your body and mind from the effort you’re putting into your workout, so you don’t feel pain or fatigue, meaning you’re able to push yourself harder and achieve more significant results.In this article, we’re going to look at some of the key reasons why you should be listening to music when you hit the gym and the benefits it can have on the body and mind:
Distracts from pain and fatigue
During a heavy workout session, your body will start to tire, and your brain notices the physical fatigue. Your brain then sends signals to the body to respond, by making you start to sweat, your heart beating faster and feeling short of breath.
According to a study by McGill University in 2013, music lessens the need for prescription drugs to manage aches and pains during and after a workout – even when it comes to chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia. Your brain also has something other than pain and fatigue to focus on, so you’re less likely to feel exhausted and wish to stop.
Elevates mood
Listening to upbeat music at any time of the day will instantly put you in a good mood, and the same goes for gym-sessions. Exercise isn’t the most exciting of tasks, so it’s common for your mind to wander as you instinctively go through the motions. It does, however, release feel-good endorphins which keep your mood lifted – and the same effects can be said for music. Combining exercise and music will leave you feeling good in yourself both during and after a workout.
For music to have this influence on your mind, it’s best to choose songs that put a spring in your step. Researching the most popular workout tracks from Myprotein would be a great place to start if you’re struggling to put a playlist together.
You’ll work harder without noticing
Do you ever notice that you halt at the same stage of your workout regime and run out of stamina to keep pushing on? Music could be the answer to beat this problem.
According to a study, you’re far likely to work harder when your favorite tune comes on. There’s a reason for it too – music motivates you to get through the exhaustion phase without even realizing it and therefore, changes your perception of limits. You’ll be distracted from the amount of effort you’re putting in and will work yourself harder than you may have ever believed.
When listening to your favorite tracks, you’ll likely wish to stay in the zone until the end of the song or are getting so carried away with the playlist, that you’ll have pushed yourself further than you had intended. According to another study, an excellent background beat can increase your stamina by almost 15%.
Gets you into the zone
How many times have you gone to the gym, but feel unmotivated due to negative thoughts taking over your mind?You can often leave the gym feeling as though you haven’t worked as hard as you would have liked, because your mind has been elsewhere. Whatever you’re going through, listening to music helps you fully engage with your workout regime and feel less distracted by your surroundings.
A gym setting can also be a huge distraction in itself, with the level of noise, number of people and music blaring across the speakers. By putting your headphones on, you’re able to get into your own safe bubble and put your entire focus into what you’re doing.
Reduces stress and anxiety
For more slow-paced workouts such as yoga or Pilates, listening to calming background music can get you into a relaxed state. Music has a significant impact on our physiological mindset and is proven to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure and keep stress and anxiety levels to a minimum. Soothing music takes the attention from everything else going on and allows you to explore the self.
Times passes quicker
Let’s be honest, spending an hour on the treadmill isn’t the most exciting way to spend your time. As soon as you start, it can feel like a never-ending marathon as you watch the minutes tick by. However, when you break down the time on a song-by-song basis, it seems far less grueling and cures boredom, to the point where the session feels much quicker. Music can seize our sense of time, as the experience is made much more pleasurable than concentrating our entire attention on every second that passes by.
Stops others chatting to you
There’s nothing more distracting than having others chatting to you when you’re trying to hit your fitness goals. Although the gym is a great place to meet new people and socialize with others who have the same interest, it’s not always good to get distracted by others when you’re feeling motivated to have a productive session. By wearing headphones, you’re signaling to others that you don’t wish to be bothered, which prevents gym-goers from striking up a conversation with you.
It makes you want to move
Researchers have discovered that music can ‘make’ you want to move. The brain becomes stimulated by the beat and encourages the body to move, which is ultimately half the battle when you’re feeling unenthusiastic and about to start a workout regime. No matter how much you’re dreading getting physical, switching on some feel-good music will give your body the kickstart it needs to get through the session.
You may never have considered the importance of a workout playlist, but the pointers above are a real indication of how the right music could improve your performance. Try out different genres of music to figure out what suits you best – but most importantly, aim to make your workouts as enjoyable as possible to achieve the best results!
