Influence of Reading on Heart Rate while Riding a Monark Exercise Bike

Abstract

Many college age students (18-24) may enjoy reading while they exercise. Reading while exercising may be more beneficial compared to not reading at all. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not heart rate was influenced by reading. METHODS: Nine (N-9) college age females (20.6 ±0.70) completed two thirty minute trials. Subjects wore heart rate monitors and heart rate was assessed. Each of the two trials was randomly assigned to have the subject read or not read during their session. The heart rates were analyzed and a t test was performed. RESULTS: The results of the t test show that there was a statistically significant difference (p value <0.05) in heart rate for reading. Similarly heart rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) at each time. (5 minutes Non Reading/Reading respectively 119.4 ±15.9, 129.5 ±21.0; 10 minute 120.3 ±17.1, 135.2 ±20.3; 15 minutes 127.9 ±22.1, 135.2 ±21.2; 20 minutes 129.3 ±16.9, 138.2 ±19.8; 25 minutes 126.3 ±15.6, 138.7 ±22.8; 30 minutes 128.6 ±19.7, 139.4 ±22.2). CONCLUSION: The results from this particular study show that there is a statistically significant difference in heart rate while reading and exercising. In this case, reading while exercising on a Monark bike showed to have a significant increase in heart rate over a thirty minute time period.