Listening to music while exercising boosts endurance

A new study now finds that listening to music while exercising really does boost endurance.

Doctors have found that people who listen to upbeat music through headphones could nearly run for a minute longer during a tough stress test on treadmill.

The research, carried out in the Texas Tech University, believe doctors should encourage their patients to listen to music as a way of helping them exercise and say music acts as a powerful motivator, improving mood and triggering feel-good and energy-boosting chemicals in the brain.

The scientists, who are due to present their findings at a major heart conference in Florida later this month, said music could help people stick to exercise routines.

According to study lead author Dr Waseem Shami, the study, on small scale provides evidence that music may help serve as an extra tool to help motivate someone to exercise more, which is critical to heart health.

Dr Shami, who will present his findings at the American College of Cardiology conference in Orlando later this month, said the tests are very tough because the treadmill speed and incline is increased every three minutes.

He said: 'After six minutes, you feel like you are running up a mountain, so even being able to go 50 seconds longer means a lot.'

The NHS and World Health Organisation recommend each week people do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as cycling, walking or gardening, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise such as running.

But very few people hit this target - with polls suggesting 44 per cent of people in Britain do no regular exercise at all.