The Effect of Music on Average Running Heart Rate and Lap Time
Daria Nahidipour, Sierra Mazzarini, Kalina Sepani, and Elahe Khodabandeh
Department of Biological Sciences
Saddleback College
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Abstract
Music has been a recommended method for enhancing physiological performance in exercise. For this reason, music has been prohibited from many athletic competitions. In our study, the effect of Electronic Dance music (EDM) was tested on the physical response of participants and compared to classical music. The investigators predicted that EDM would increase the heart rate and decrease lap time. The study was conducted on college students (n = 12). Each participant ran three laps around the Irvine Valley College tennis courts. The first lap was the control; the second and third laps alternated between EDM and classical music for randomization. The results for lap time differences were 2.70 ± 3.26 s (Mean±SEM) for the classical music and -6.61 ± 2.00 s for EDM. The average heart rate, during classical run was -5.92 ± 6.15 bpm (Mean±SEM) and for EDM was 6.33 ± 2.49 bpm. There was a statistically significant difference in lap times (p=0.012, one-tailed paired t-test) and average heart rate while running (p=0.039, one-tailed paired t-test). Therefore, the results supported the hypothesis that listening to EDM music would increase the average heart rate and decrease running times more than classical music.
Introduction
Electronic Dance Music (EDM) has commonly been associated with rave culture in the United States and Europe. Music has been a recommended method for enhancing physiological performance in sports and exercise. Music to some extent has a predictable effect on cardiovascular system. A person's heart rate changes while listening to music, but whether the heart beats faster or slower depends on the tempo of the music. A study done by Karageorghis stated that higher tempo music had a faster effect on running time (2009). Understanding how different types of music affect physiology is also important for future treatments for patients such as for those with cardiovascular diseases. The study done by Bernardi et al. (2005) indicates that appropriate selection of music can be used to induce relaxation and reduce sympathetic activity and would be useful in the management of cardiovascular disease. Using the correct type of music, this idea was used in elderly to see an increase in cognitive function when music and physical exercise were combined (Satoh 2014). Therefore, music has neurological, physiological and cardiovascular advantages. Each of these studies tested the effects of one type of music on participants. The purpose of our study was to further analyze the effects of both EDM and classical music on participants as opposed to without music. If EDM lap times and average heart rate while running were faster than those with classical music, then EDM was determined to heighten the physiological response of the participants more than classical music.
Materials and Methods
The following experiment was completed and carried out at the Irvine Valley College tennis courts during Fall 2015. The EDM music used for this experiment was the song "You" by Galantis and the classical music selected was "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven. "You" by Galantis was found on songbpm.com to have 128 beats per minute (bpm), on this same site “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven was shown to have 75 bpm. The same two songs were used for all participants.
The heart rate monitor used for this experiment was the Polar E600 Series Heart Rate Monitor provided by Saddleback College. The sensors on the monitors were wet with water before being placed directly below the chest of participants. The transmitter strapped around the volunteer and tightened in order to obtain an accurate reading. Once the watch was synced to the monitor the experimenters were ready to begin the trials.
The study was conducted on 12 subjects of 18-25 years of age. Our volunteers arrived at the Irvine Valley College tennis court by their own transportation and willingly signed a consent form to participate in the experiment. All participants were asked to refrain from eating at least one hour before arriving, and followed these instructions. At the site of the study, all weather and environmental data was recorded by the experimenters. Before starting any trials, the upper and lower limit was set for each participant depending on their age. After arriving the participants were instructed to sit on the benches outside for five minutes before collecting their sitting resting heart rate. The resting heart rate will be used between runs to allow their heart rate to return back to that recorded normal resting heart rate before they began the next run. The participants then ran three laps around the Irvine Valley College tennis courts with approximately 10 minute rest period in between runs. The first lap was used as a control, the next lap they listened to EDM, and for the final lap they listened to classical music. For every other participant the laps of listening to EDM and classical were switched to ensure that the data recorded was not due to the order in which the laps were done (for some participants the EDM was for their second lap while for other they listened to classical on their second lap).
The Polar transmitter with an adjustable elastic strap was fitted below the volunteer's chest and the wrist receiver was placed on their wrist. The wrist receiver, or watch, was used to collect the average heart rate while running. The time for each run was measured to the millisecond by an experimenter on a Samsung phone. After each run, the heart rate data and times were recorded with average heart rate, time spent above limits, time spent within limits, time spent below limits, and also the final heart rate as soon as they ended their run. To prevent foul odors and kill bacteria Lysol® disinfectant wipes were used to wipe down the equipment after use.
Results
After all of the participants completed the three trials, all the data was compiled and analyzed. The order of the laps our participants ran were switched with every other participant for randomization to ensure that the values obtained were not due to the order in which the laps were run. Their control runs was the first lap, while the second and third laps with EDM and classical were switched to ensure accurate data. The values shown in Table 1 were calculated by subtracting their control run time from their time with music (either classical or EDM). A negative value indicates that the participant’s time was faster while listening to the indicated music while a positive value indicated a slower time. The results for time difference between runs was found to be 2.70 ± 3.26 (Mean ± SEM) seconds for the classical music, while the EDM was found to be -6.61 ± 2.00 (Mean ± SEM) seconds. Indicating that when the participants were running while listening to EDM they ran faster than both their control runs and classical runs. There was a statistical difference between the values obtained; these values were expressed in Figure 1 with a one-tailed paired t-test performed and a p-value of 0.012 was found, thus showing that the time difference was statistically significant.
The values found Table 2 were calculated in the same way. The average heart rate while running during their control test was subtracted from their average heart rate while running with music (either classical or EDM). A positive average heart rate difference indicates a faster heart rate than their corresponding control run, while a negative value indicates a slower average heart rate. The result for the difference in average heart rate during their classical run was -5.92 ± 6.15 (Mean ± SEM) beats per minute. While the result for the difference in EDM average heart rate was 6.33 ± 2.49 (Mean ± SEM) beats per minute. These values, shown in Figure 2, had a statistical difference as determined by a one-tailed paired t-test with a value of 0.039, showing that this comparison of average heart rates was also significant.
Due to both time difference and average heart rate t-tests showing a significant difference, this has confirmed our hypothesis that listening to EDM music while running would speed up the average heart rate and running time over listening to classical music.
Time differenceClassical / EDM
5.02 / -4.08
-7.92 / -6.63
2 / -3
11 / -1
9.91 / 3.45
26 / -12
-17.75 / -15.9
-6.91 / -7.91
10.19 / 2.24
-1.92 / -4.12
-2.2 / -11.34
5 / -19
Average / 2.70166 / -6.6075
Table 1: The difference in values of classical and EDM music running time when compared to the participants control run times. These values were obtained by subtracting the control run time from run time with music (music time – control time = time difference). A positive value indicates a slower time, while a negative value indicates a faster run time.
Average Heart RateClassical / EDM
3 / 8
-2 / 9
4 / 8
-46 / -10
0 / 4
-55 / 28
5 / 3
-2 / 2
10 / 7
9 / 5
-2 / 2
5 / 10
Average / -5.91667 / 6.333333
Table 2: The difference in values of classical and EDM music average heart rate compared to the control run average heart rate. These values were obtained using the time with music and subtracting the control run average heart rate from it (music AHR – control AHR = AHR difference). A positive value indicates a faster average heart rate, while a negative value indicates a slower average heart rate.
Figure 1: The mean values of the time difference between runs. The data was obtained by compiling all the participants’ data and finding the average. Error bars were calculated using mean ± SEM. A paired, one-tailed t-test was run on this data (p = 0.012). There was a significant difference between the values of the time differences of EDM music and classical music.
Figure 2: The mean values of the average heart rate difference between runs were found by compiling all the participants’ data and finding the average. Error bars were calculated using mean ± SEM. A paired, one-tailed t-test was run on this data (p = 0.039). There was a significant difference between the values of the average heart rates while running of EDM music and classical music runs.
Discussion
The results acquired throughout this experiment indeed supported the hypothesis, which was that EDM heightened the physiological response of the participants more than the classical music. Music has the ability to stabilize emotion and reduce stress. Intense emotions felt from music are believed to be linked to increased levels of physiological arousal. In a research done by Armon et al. (2011) music with a tempo of 120-130 bpm increased anxiety by increasing blood pressure and heart rate, while slow tempo music of 50-60 bpm had the opposite effect on the body.
Classical music has been used as a calming therapy due to its slow tempo. Lemmer conducted a study testing rats and found that listening to Mozart resulted in a decreased heart rate for the SHR (spontaneously hyperactive rat) subjects (2008). In another study, a faster tempo induced increases in breathing rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and heart rate (Bernardi et al., 2005). In a study done by Karageorghis et al. (2009) at Brunel University, the results showed that running time with higher tempo music was faster and took participants longer to tire out. Yet, they did not see a difference between the slower music and their control with no music. However, a study by Copeland et al.(1991) showed that soft and slow music reduces physiological and psychological performance, yet increased endurance performance.
Szabo et al. (1999) and Van Dyck et al. (2015), both showed that by listening to fast music during progressive exercise there was a higher heart rate and faster cadence, while only Van Dyke et al. compared this data with that of slower music to show that the slower music then decreased the running cadence in runners. Most of the studies found showed that listening to music with a faster tempo increased physiological response while slower tempo slowed down these functions. Some studies had conflicting results, yet they all agree that music affects the body in various ways.
Researching the effects of music on physiological response has much more to be studied. It appears that the appropriate music during exercise would enhance the enjoyment and adherence levels of the participants, however there could be multiple factors that influence these reactions, such as their emotional states (Karageorghis et al. 1997). To confirm these findings, more research needs to be done. These future experiments should investigate the effects of music on physical and psychological performance to create music therapy, which could be used to treat neurological, cardiovascular and psychological disorders.
Acknowledgements
We would like to credit professor Steve Teh and Saddleback College for allowing us to use the heart rate monitors. Also we would like to thank all the participants for taking their time to come out and participate in our experiment.
Literature Cited
Armon, R., Fisher, A., Goldfarb, B., Milton, C., 2011. Effects of music tempos on blood pressure, heart rate, and skin conductance after physical exertion. University of Wisconsin – Madison. 1-12.
Bernardi, L., Porta, C., Sleight, P. 2005. Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Respiratory Changes Induced by Different Types of Music in Musicians and Non-musicians: the Importance of Silence. British Cardiovascular Society. 92:445-452.
Copeland, B.L., Franks B.D. 1991. Effects of Types and Intensities of Background Music on Treadmill Endurance. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. Volume 31, no. 1: 100-103.