Beat it!

We all know exercise makes us feel good, but listen to music as you work out and you'll double the mental health benefits

It can fire you up for HIIT, calm your heart in savasana and even increase your endurance on a gruelling long-distance run, but did you know exercising to music is good for your emotional wellbeing, too? Music alone, even without exercise, is a powerful pill - it alleviates stress, anxiety and depression, and reduces fatigue - but add a workout to the mix and the right soundtrack can encourage positive psychological and psycho-physiological changes (think lower states of perceived exertion). So just how does music achieve these amazing results? As with so many things, it starts with your brain.

ALL IN THE MIND

When you're pounding the pavements, I feel the power ringing in your ears, you're not just getting a mental boost from the lyrics, a cascade of physiological changes is taking place in your body. First up, the auditory cortex is stimulated, the part of the brain associated with sound and which allows you to hear/ make sense of sound waves. 'Music also acts on your motor system in the cerebellum, deciphering rhythm and helping you perform rhythmic movements,' says Marianne Rizkallah, music therapist at North London Music Therapy (northlondonmusictherapy. com). After this, things start to get really interesting...

'Music activates the limbic system in the brain, which deals with our emotions and positively impacts memory,' says Rizkallah. Key components of this system - such as the amygdala (the emotional processing centre) and the hippocampus (which helps consolidate memories) - allow you to experience positive emotional responses to music which you can draw upon each time you tie-up your trainers. 'Music also acts on the prefrontal cortex, which regulates your thoughts, actions and emotions,' adds Rizkallah.