Don’t Mix Texting and Treadmills, Research Finds

Drivers have long been warned not to text and drive for the obvious dangers of distracted driving. But could your smartphone be hazardous to your exercise goals, too?

It can if you’re texting or talking while working out on the treadmill.

Researchers have found that people who use their smartphones for texting and talking actually lower their exercise intensity.

“Exercising at a lower intensity has been found to reduce the health benefits of exercise and fitness improvements over time,” said Kent State University researcher Jacob Barkley. He, and other researchers, looked at how using a smartphone to text, talk and listen to music affected average treadmill speed, heart rate and enjoyment.

The findings are important for people who exercise for better health and may be trying to burn calories to lose weight. Poor cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with having more cardiovascular disease risk factors such as high cholesterol and blood pressure levels, the researchers noted.

For the study, 44 students were asked to work out in four, separate 30-minute exercise sessions on a treadmill. Those who participated in the study went faster on the treadmill if they used their phone exclusively to listen to music. Talking increased enjoyment, maintained heart rate but reduced speed. Texting not only reduced speed and heart rate but it didn’t make working out any more enjoyable.

“It appears as if listening to music and, to a lesser extent, talking may have benefits on the durations and/or frequency of exercise due to their ability to increase enjoyment,” said researcher Andrew Lepp, PhD. “However, if an individual’s opportunity for exercise is constrained by time, then it appears best to avoid talking on a smartphone during planned exercise.”

The researchers didn’t find any fitness-related benefits of texting while exercising.

“Most people indicate that their lack of exercise is due to time constraints,” Barkley said. “When this is the case, this study suggests that a smartphone should not be used for talking or texting as both may potentially reduce fitness. If one is looking to get the most benefits and improvements out of their workout, leave the smartphone in the locker room and enjoy your music with another type of device.”

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