Listening to slow-tempo preferred music after high-intensity exercise significantly increased theta/beta ratios and promoted faster heart rate recovery (p=0.05) compared to non-preferred music.
RCT (n=15)
randomized
Does slow-tempo preferred music improve neural, physiological, and psychological recovery in healthy male adults following high-intensity interval exercise?
Slow-tempo preferred music enhances neural, cardiovascular, hormonal, and mood recovery following high-intensity interval exercise in healthy young men.
Effect estimate: ηp2 = 0.130 for HR recovery
p-value: p=0.05
To evaluate the effectiveness of slow-tempo preferred music (PF) as a recovery intervention after high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), focusing on brain activity, physiological, and psychological recovery in healthy young adults. Key outcomes included theta/beta ratios (TBR), auditory P300 event-related potentials (ERPs), heart rate (HR), salivary cortisol, feeling scale scores (FSS), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Fifteen male university students (age: 21 ± 1 years) completed a 30-min HIIE session, involving alternating 1-min intervals at 60 % and 90 % V̇ O 2peak . Post-exercise, participants completed 15 min of passive recovery in one of three randomized conditions: PF, non-preferred music (NF), or no music (control; CN). TBR and P300 ERPs (via EEG) were measured before and after intervention. HR, RPE, and FSS were recorded at baseline, before intervention, after intervention, and after recovery. Salivary cortisol was measured at baseline, before intervention, and after recovery. Listening to PF significantly increased TBR across cortical areas, with the largest effects observed in the central (ηp 2 = 0.392, ∆% = +39 %), left anterior (ηp 2 = 0.392, ∆% = +31 %), left posterior (ηp 2 = 0.534, ∆% = +39 %), left anterior (ηp 2 = 0.341, ∆% = +27 %), and right posterior (ηp 2 = 0.432, ∆% = +41 %) regions. Additionally, PF led to faster HR recovery (ηp 2 = 0.130, p = 0.05), greater reduction in cortisol (ηp 2 = 0.271, ∆% = −27 %), and higher FSS scores (ηp 2 = 0.127, p = 0.05) than NF, with no significant differences in RPE between conditions. Slow-tempo preferred music produces improvements in neural, cardiovascular, hormonal, and mood recovery markers following intense exercise, supporting its use as a simple, practical recovery strategy for athletes, exercisers, and broader populations. • Listening to PF increased TBR and reduced P300 latency, reflecting enhanced relaxation and cognition. • PF promoted faster recovery post-HIIE by lowering HR and cortisol more than NF or no-music controls. • PF improved mood during recovery, supporting its role in enhancing emotional and cognitive well-being.
Sreepetch et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Healthy male adults post-high-intensity interval exercise (n=15). Slow-tempo preferred music vs. Non-preferred music or no music was evaluated on Theta/beta ratios (TBR), auditory P300 ERPs, heart rate (HR), salivary cortisol, feeling scale scores (FSS), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (ηp2 = 0.130 for HR recovery, p=0.05). Listening to slow-tempo preferred music after high-intensity exercise significantly increased theta/beta ratios and promoted faster heart rate recovery (p=0.05) compared to non-preferred music.