Abstract

Background: Music is a magical medium and powerful too, can be used to soothe and relax. Listening to music reduces muscular and mental tension and thereby decreases sympathetic stimulation and sustains motivation to resist mental and emotional fatigue, and it may even facilitate physical and athletic performance.

Aims and Objectives: To determine the effectiveness on various parameters of listening to slow and fast music tempo during post-exercise recovery in young adults.

Materials and Methods: The study procedure was carried out on 50 untrained participants of the age group between 18 and 25 years, at the tertiary health center. Each participant performed the Queen’s step test for 3 min. The recovery period of pulse rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure (BP) during post-exercise without music on the 1st day, with slow on the 2nd day, and fast music tempo on the 3rd day were recorded. The study was conducted in 3 visits.

Results: The data analysis was done by SPSS-IS software. ANNOVA test was used for statistical analysis. The P < 0.05 was considered as significant. With slow music tempo, the mean recovery time for pulse rate (9.38 ± 1.47 min), systolic BP (8 ± 1.10 min), diastolic BP (7.32 ± 0.95 min), and respiratory rate (9.10 ± 1.39 min) was significantly faster than without music and fast music tempo.

Conclusion: The heart rate, BP, and respiratory rate returned to baseline faster while listening to slow than fast music tempo. The present study concludes that music of slow tempo is a good tool for relaxation following a bout of physical exercise.

Key words: Slow and Fast Music Tempo; Pulse Rate; Systolic Blood Pressure; Diastolic Blood Pressure; Respiratory Rate