Do you not like to exercise? Experts share best trick to make workouts easier on the mind
Better Sleep and Longevity
Make Movement a Habit
Staying active is crucial for overall health, but many people struggle to find the motivation to exercise, especially when feeling mentally drained. Mental fatigue can make even simple workouts feel daunting, yet research shows that small adjustments to your routine—like listening to music—can significantly improve performance and help you stick to a fitness regimen. Experts also highlight the broad health benefits of regular exercise, from boosting energy to improving mood and overall longevity.A study from the University of Edinburgh found that listening to self-selected music while running can counteract the effects of mental fatigue. Researchers tested 18 physically active individuals using interval running and 5km time trials after participants completed a mentally demanding cognitive task. Those who listened to their chosen motivational music performed similarly to when they were not fatigued.Dr. Shaun Phillips of the University of Edinburgh's Moray House School of Education and Sport explained that music may help because it changes how effort is perceived. Participants' heart rates and perceived exertion were monitored, and songs such as Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and Addicted to You by Avicii were among the motivational playlists selected. Dr. Phillips noted that self-selected music can help maintain the quality and benefits of exercise, even when mental energy is low.The Mayo Clinic emphasizes that regular physical activity has benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, or fitness level. Exercise helps control weight by burning calories, with more intense activity leading to higher calorie expenditure. It can also prevent or manage conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and arthritis.Beyond physical health, exercise positively impacts mental well-being. It improves mood, reduces stress and anxiety, and can increase self-esteem. Regular activity also boosts energy by improving cardiovascular efficiency and delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles and tissues.Physical activity can improve sleep quality and help individuals fall asleep faster, though exercising too close to bedtime may interfere with rest. It also enhances sexual health by increasing energy, confidence, and arousal. Men who exercise regularly have a lower risk of erectile dysfunction, while women may experience heightened arousal.Additionally, exercise is often social and enjoyable. Engaging in activities such as dancing, hiking, or team sports can provide fun and connection with others. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly, along with strength training for all major muscle groups twice a week. Even short bouts of activity throughout the day can contribute to these benefits.Incorporating exercise into daily routines doesn't have to be complicated. Taking stairs, walking during breaks, or doing household chores all count toward staying active. Pairing these activities with motivational music or choosing forms of exercise you enjoy can make physical activity sustainable and rewarding.By combining strategies like music, consistent movement, and enjoyable activities, anyone can overcome mental fatigue and reap the health, mental, and social benefits of regular exercise.
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Do you not like to exercise? Experts share best trick to make workouts easier on the mind
Exercise Offers Wide-Ranging Health Benefits Better Sleep and Longevity Make Movement a Habit Staying active is crucial for overall health, but many people struggle to find the motivation to exercise, especially when feeling mentally drained. Mental fatigue can make even simple workouts feel daunting, yet research shows that small adjustments to your routine—like listening to music—can significantly improve performance and help you stick to a fitness regimen. Experts also highlight the broad health benefits of regular exercise, from boosting energy to improving mood and overall longevity.A study from the University of Edinburgh found that listening to self-selected music while running can counteract the effects of mental fatigue. Researchers tested 18 physically active individuals using interval running and 5km time trials after participants completed a mentally demanding cognitive task. Those who listened to their chosen motivational music performed similarly to when they were not Shaun Phillips of the University of Edinburgh's Moray House School of Education and Sport explained that music may help because it changes how effort is perceived. Participants' heart rates and perceived exertion were monitored, and songs such as Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and Addicted to You by Avicii were among the motivational playlists selected. Dr. Phillips noted that self-selected music can help maintain the quality and benefits of exercise, even when mental energy is Mayo Clinic emphasizes that regular physical activity has benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, or fitness level. Exercise helps control weight by burning calories, with more intense activity leading to higher calorie expenditure. It can also prevent or manage conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and physical health, exercise positively impacts mental well-being. It improves mood, reduces stress and anxiety, and can increase self-esteem. Regular activity also boosts energy by improving cardiovascular efficiency and delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles and activity can improve sleep quality and help individuals fall asleep faster, though exercising too close to bedtime may interfere with rest. It also enhances sexual health by increasing energy, confidence, and arousal. Men who exercise regularly have a lower risk of erectile dysfunction, while women may experience heightened exercise is often social and enjoyable. Engaging in activities such as dancing, hiking, or team sports can provide fun and connection with others. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly, along with strength training for all major muscle groups twice a week. Even short bouts of activity throughout the day can contribute to these exercise into daily routines doesn't have to be complicated. Taking stairs, walking during breaks, or doing household chores all count toward staying active. Pairing these activities with motivational music or choosing forms of exercise you enjoy can make physical activity sustainable and combining strategies like music, consistent movement, and enjoyable activities, anyone can overcome mental fatigue and reap the health, mental, and social benefits of regular exercise.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Don't feel like working out? THIS small tweak can supercharge the brain!
Let's just face it. You might be a fitness enthusiast, but there are days when mental fatigue makes even lacing up your shoes feel like a challenge. Staying active is more important now than ever, especially at a time when lifestyle diseases are on the rise. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But how do you motivate yourselves and combat mental fatigue? A study has found that a slight tweak in your daily run could do the job. A study conducted by the researchers at the found that listening to music while running can fight mental fatigue. Tune into your favourite music The therapeutic power of music is well known, and this study has found that listening to music while running can improve people's performance when they feel mentally fatigued. The researchers found that the performance of runners who listened to a playlist of their choice after finishing a mentally demanding task performed similar to when they were not mentally fatigued. This is the first study to explore the effect of listening to music playlists on endurance running capacity and performance when mentally fatigued. The study To understand the link between music and performance, when mentally fatigued, the researchers conducted two tests. They investigated how listening to music affected the running performance of 18 fitness enthusiasts. One study looked at the impact on interval running capacity, alternating between high-intensity running and lower-intensity jogging. It had a group of nine physically active participants, while the other focused on a 5km time trial involving nine trained runners. The participants underwent a 30-minute computer-based cognitive test, which put them in a mentally fatigued state before completing high-intensity exercise. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The participants' performance was tested with and without self-selected motivational music. The researchers assisted the participants in selecting motivational songs with the help of a pre-test questionnaire. They were asked to rate the rhythm, style, melody, tempo, sound, and beat of the music. Some of the songs were: Everyday by A$ap Rocky; Addicted To You by Avicii; Run This Town by Jay-Z; Power by Kanye West; No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age; and Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. The heart rate and rating of perceived exertion were measured at multiple points during the exercise. 5 iron-rich foods to beat fatigue, boost immunity The findings The researchers found that the interval running capacity among the mentally fatigued fitness enthusiasts was moderately greater with music, when compared to without music. This was similar to the participants' performance when they were not mentally burned out. The 5km time-trial performances also showed small improvements with self-selected music versus no music. The researchers noted that the positive effects of music could be due to the altered perception of effort when listening to tunes. " is a common occurrence for many of us, and can negatively impact many of our day-to-day activities, including exercise. Finding safe and effective ways to reduce this negative impact is therefore useful,' Dr. Shaun Phillips, of the University of Edinburgh's Moray House School of Education and Sport, said. "The findings indicate that listening to self-selected motivational music may be a useful strategy to help active people improve their endurance running capacity and performance when mentally fatigued. This positive impact of self-selected music could help people to better maintain the quality and beneficial impact of their exercise sessions,' Dr. Phillips added.
Economic Times
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Cats with dementia could hold the key to treating Alzheimer's in human beings
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