Impact of Two Methods of Listening to Music During Exercise on Perceived Exertion and Overall Physical Activity

Impact of Two Methods of Listening to Music During Exercise on Perceived Exertion and Overall Physical Activity

The purpose of the study is to compare two different methods of listening to music while performing aerobic exercise: synchronous music listening vs. asynchronous music listening. Synchronous music listening while exercising is a learned activity where the participant moves his or her body in synchrony with the beat of the music, similar to dancing or to participating in a group exercise (aerobics) class. Our hypothesis is that synchronous music listening reduces the level of perceived exertion to the exercise and motivates the subject to exercise more often. This study randomly assigns 46 subjects, age 20-55 years old to either a control group of listening to their own favorite music in an asynchronous fashion or to an intervention group of listening to prepared music in a synchronous fashion over a six week period.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult employees of Georgetown University (age 20-55) who listen to music while exercising.

Exclusion Criteria::

• A major medical condition that would prevent the participant from undertaking regular exercise
• The use of beta blocker medication
• Participation in varsity sports