Music Filter: Health and wellness

MusicFilter = Knocked Out

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 22:59:08 GMT

We are laid out with one of the worst colds/flus/who knows? we've had in years. We'll try to come back tomorrow.

Pump It Up: Music Improves Athletic Performance

Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:51:40 GMT

Researchers at Scottish universities have discovered that listening to music can boost athletic performance up to 20%. This shouldn't be a huge surprise to anyone who's ever worked out to music but the underlying theory is that the tempo of music helps to sharpen the rhythm of physical exercise as well as provide a boost of emotional and mental inspiration. Researchers are quick to note, however, that there's no one song or playlist that can get the job done; it's all dependent on individual tastes. Says Dr. Ray Macdonald at Glasgow Caledonian University,

"It is very important that people do adapt music to their own personal tastes if they want to maximise performance. Classical music would not normally be expected to boost sporting performance, but it will boost the performance of classical music fans."

The Scotsman newspaper published a sampling of different songs to listen to at different levels of physical activity, starting with a warm-up of Soul II Soul's "Back to Life," then elevating to Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," starting to peak with Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild," and then at the height of heart activity, pumping Rossini's "William Tell Overture." Rock on! (Source: The Scotsman)

Feel the Heartbeat: Music Affects Cardiovascular System

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:09:48 GMT

Italian researchers have discovered what most of us already knew: that our bodies – specifically our hearts – respond to music by either speeding up or slowing down, depending on the type of music being played. So what gets the ticker racing and what chills it out?

Subjects were played a variety of music that included, among other selections, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "The Power of Equality," Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony," Gigi D'Agostino's "You Spin Me Round," and an Indian raga by Debabrata Chaudhuri. According to the UK's Times Online,

"Faster music, and more complex rhythms, were found to speed up breathing and circulation, irrespective of style. Fast classical music and techno had the same impact. Conversely, slower or more meditative music produced a fall in heart rate — the greatest produced by [a track of Indian classical music].

Researchers think that these findings may help doctors find new ways of treating heart disease:

"This present study indicates that appropriate selection of music, by altering fast and slower rhythms and pauses, can be used to induce relaxation, and so be potentially useful for cardiovascular disease."

Just remember, if you're feeling life's stresses tensing you up, all you need is a nice, slow Indian raga to slow everything down (techno, not so good). (Source: Bloomberg.com, Times Online)