Music during exercise: cognitive and emotional benefits remain uncertain
Pooled analyses did not show statistically clear effects on attention, inhibitory control or core affect, meaning the basic emotional state.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
This review does not establish that adding music to an exercise bout improves attention, control over responses or emotional state. The pooled results were statistically inconclusive, rather than proof of no effect. Apparent differences by exercise intensity and participant age were inconsistent enough to leave practical conclusions uncertain.
Abstract-only access leaves the participant profile and comparison conditions unclear. Large remaining differences between studies also weaken confidence in the exploratory subgroup patterns.
What researchers found
Attention allocation, inhibitory control and core affect
Music combined with acute exercise; comparison conditions are not described. Outcomes concerned exercise bouts, whose duration is not reported.
Context did not resolve uncertainty
The narrative summary suggested that results depended on the exercise context. However, the pooled analyses did not show statistically significant changes in the reported cognitive and emotional outcomes, so the overall answer remained inconclusive.
Exploratory patterns were inconsistent
Exploratory analyses linked higher exercise intensity and older average participant age with smaller effects. Substantial variation remained between studies, and descriptive intensity patterns did not generalize consistently. They cannot identify an optimal exercise setting.
The original publication
Does music support executive functions and affective responses during acute exercise? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Danso A, Vigl J, Koehler F et al.
Front Psychol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41583748
- Record checked
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