Music Attenuates The Perception Of Dyspnea During Exercise With Headphones In Healthy Individuals

Dyspnea limits physical exertion and may cause early cessation of exercise or discouragement from participating in exercise altogether. To distract from dyspnea, many individuals listen to music while exercising which can alter afferent feedback from breathing sounds; however, it is currently unknown whether auditory distraction with music mitigates exertional dyspnea in healthy individuals. PURPOSE: The purpose was twofold: 1) to determine whether listening to music through headphones affects the sensory (breathing intensity; BI) and/or affective (breathing unpleasantness; BU) components of dyspnea during exercise at different intensities, and 2) to assess whether music impacts exercise performance by influencing an individual’s self-selected workload. METHODS: Twenty-two recreationally active individuals (24 ± 3 yr, 10 women) performed two 5-min constant loads (10% below/above gas exchange threshold-GET) and an 8 km (4.97mi) cycling time trial with either ambient lab noise or self-selected music (via headphones), in a randomized crossover design. BI, BU, and ventilation (VE) were measured at each minute of the constant loads and every 2 km of the time trial. Ratios of BU/VE and BI/VE were used to examine the gain in dyspnea during the self-paced time trial. Data are presented as mean ± SD. RESULTS: In the first and final minute of the 10% below GET trial, BU was less with music (14.0 ± 11.4 mm vs. 19.8 ± 12.5 mm, P = 0.03 and 29.3 ± 16.7 mm vs. 34.8 ± 15.4 mm, P = 0.04, respectively). In every minute of the 10% above GET trial, BU was less with music (P < 0.05) despite no difference in VE between conditions. During the time trial, VE was not different between conditions; however, with music, BU/VE was significantly attenuated by 13-17% (P < 0.05). Heart rate and self-selected power output were greater during the time trial with music (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of music through headphones appears to modify ventilatory afferent feedback, significantly mitigating the sensation of dyspnea during exercise. Additionally, and most notably, music changed the accretion of dyspnea per unit of VE leading to a higher self-selected workload. The dyspnea-reducing intervention of self-selected music may improve exercise tolerance, performance, and promote adherence to regular aerobic exercise.