Beat the sedentary blues: music may boost exercise in seniors
NCT ID NCT06364189
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether listening to music with a strong beat can help older adults become more physically active. Fifty-four healthy adults aged 65 and older took part in a 6-month exercise program, with some listening to beat-accented music and others exercising without it. The goal was to see if the music made exercise feel better and encouraged people to stay active.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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54 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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May 2024
- Finished
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Aug 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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65 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * At least 65 years old. * Ambulatory/capable of walking for 6 minutes without pain or aid such as a walker/cane. * Able to speak and read English. * Healthy enough to exercise at moderate intensity with or without medical clearance by a primary care physician. * Living in the community for the duration of the study (6 months). * Having a reliable means of transportation. * Having a safe place (at least 6 feet by 6 feet of open space) at home for unsupervised exercise training. * Having no diagnosis or symptoms of cognitive impairment. * Having no symptoms of suicidal ideation and not meeting criteria for depressive disorder. * Physically low-active by doing \< 60 min/week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and no strength training for the last 3 months. Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of neurological disorder or spinal cord disorder. * Known exercise contraindications. * Current cancer treatment. * Stroke or neural impairment in the past 6 months. * Hip/knee/spinal fracture or surgery in the past 6 month. * Unable or unwilling to attend intervention classes 3x/week in Months 1-2 and 1x/week in Months 3-4. * Currently participating in any other physical activity or fitness-related research study. * Use of medication for Alzheimer's disease. * Change in dosage of medications prescribed for anxiety or depression within the previous 6 months. * Regularly drink \> 14 alcoholic beverages a week or current illicit drug use. * Having no diagnosis or symptoms of cognitive impairment. * Meet the threshold for clinical depression. * Uncorrected hearing or visual impairments. * Unable to understand the study procedures. * One of the household members is participating in this study.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, 30324, United States
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University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina, 27402-6170, United States
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