The psychophysiological effects of music on self-selected walking pace in sedentary people / Haziq Izzuddin Zamrin

Music can be used to enhance the psychological benefits of exercise and help beginners stay motivated and engaged in their workouts. However, there is a lack of research examining the impact of musical stimulation on self-selected walking pace exercise and how it may affect an individual's ability to follow a regular exercise routine, especially for Malaysia population. This research aims to investigate the potential benefits of incorporating music into a walking routine for sedentary individuals, specifically examining how music may impact their psychophysiological responses and overall pacing during exercise. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of music on heart rate (HR), rate perceived exertion (RPE), feelings scale (FS), and walking distance (WD) during self-selected walking pace in sedentary individuals. The present study is a crossover experimental design study, in eighteen (N =18) sedentary individuals who were assigned to two conditions: a music or a control group. The music group were required to walk on a treadmill for 45 minutes while listening to fast-beat music (120 – 140 bpm), while the control group needed to walk on a treadmill without any music. The data were recorded at four time periods: minute 15, minute 25, minute 35, and minute 45 during the test. The repeated measures ANOVA analysis was used to measure the effects. The results indicated that there are significant interactions between music and control groups across experimental sessions in HR, RPE and FS (p<.05). However, there was no significant difference in walking distance (WD) between groups, indicating that self-selected walking pace may have influenced the results. Exercise with music reduces heart rate and perceived exertion, making workouts longer and less tiring. Music can be used as a strategy to enhance physical activity for a healthier lifestyle, especially among sedentary individuals.