The effects of a music intervention on the autonomic nervous system during recovery from strenuous exercise


Author: Mingyang Niu1, Ruixue Zhao2, Jiameng Wang3

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Yongin University, Graduate School, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.

<sup>2</sup> Lu Xun Art College, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shanxi, China.

<sup>3</sup> Faculty of Physical Education, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shanxi, China.
Conference/Journal: Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol
Date published: 2023 Nov 20
Other:
  Pages: e13096   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1111/anec.13096.   ,  Word Count: 219  
    Objective:

To investigate the effect of music on heart rate recovery (HRR) and heart rate variability (HRV) after intense exertion.



Methods:

Five hundred male students enrolled at Yongin University, Korea, underwent a cycling test to assess aerobic capacity; 180 students with equal scores were selected for a music intervention, which was conducted after vigorous exercise. The 180 participants were randomized into three music groups and a control group; the participants in each music group listened to music at three different tempos: slow (lento) (n = 45), moderate (moderato) (n = 45), and fast (allegretto) (n = 45). The control group did not listen to music (n = 45). After the test, data on cardiac recovery and HRV were gathered and modeled.



Results:

The results revealed no significant variation in HRR and HRV indexes between the four cohorts (p > .05), and no significant differences were observed in the anaerobic power cycling indexes during strenuous exercise (p > .05). The music intervention had a significant impact on HR, low-frequency power (LF), high-frequency power (HF), normalized LF (LFnorm ), normalized HF (HFnorm ), and the LF/HF ratio during recovery (p < .05).



Conclusion:

After rigorous activity, listening to allegretto music improved HRR and restored HRV equilibrium, which is critical to preventing and minimizing arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.



Keywords: heart rate recovery; heart rate variability; music intervention; myocardial infarction; sudden cardiac death.



PMID: 37985396 DOI: 10.1111/anec.13096