The Effect of Relaxing Music on Changes in Heart Rate and Blood Pressure during Recovery after a Vigorous Exercise in Young Female Athletes

ABSTARCT: The purpose of the present research was to examine the effect of relaxing music on the changes in heart rate and blood pressure during recovery after a vigorous exercise in young female athletes. 15 female athletes (24.6±3.5 years, 168.5±3.6 cm, and 63.5±9.07 kg)were randomly selected from 100 volunteers in Al-Zahra Sport Complex. All the subjects participated in the program of recording heart rate and blood pressure before and immediately after the Bruce test and finally at 7 and 15 minutes into the recovery stage without listening to music. 48 hours later all the measurements were done along with listening to music at the recovery stage. At the end of passive recovery, the heart rate and blood pressure of the subjects were recorded and compared. The results showed that the recovery stage (a period of 15 minutes after the exercise) and with music, heart rate decreased by 34% (as compared to 28% without music) and systolic blood pressure decreased by 10% (as compared to 8% without music). However, this procedure was not effective for diastolic blood pressure. In other words, relaxing music may be able to help in decreasing heart rate, blood pressure, and stress and lead to faster recovery by the athletes.