Music is good for your health.  Besides helping you get through your workout, music can also reduce stress, sooth pain, help memory and even boost your heart health!  Check out this article from Huffington Post to read about how music helps the body and mind.  Did you know that there is even a such thing as a music therapist now?  Who knew!

Making mixed CDs and playlists is one of my favorite things.  So, on the topic of health I thought I would share some of my favorite workout tunes.   I categorize my workout playlists into 3 parts: the warm up, the workout and the cool down.  Below is a random selection from my playlists.  I like a wide range of music and I mix things up, so I don’t get bored.

The Warm Up –  Time to get started.  These songs will help ease you into your workout, not too fast, not too slow.

• “Start Me Up” – The Rolling Stones – listen
• “Lights” – Ellie Goulding – listen
• “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” – The Proclaimers – listen
• “Don’t Stop Believing” – Journey – listen
• “Addicted To Love” – Florence + The Machine – listen
• “Houdini” – Foster The People – listen
• “The Rain” – Missy Elliot – listen
• “Tonight, Tonight” – Smashing Pumpkins – listen
• “Alejandro (The Sound of Arrows Remix)” – Lady Gaga – listen
• “When You Were Young” – The Killers – listen
• “Take On Me” – A-Ha – listen
• “Flashdance…What a Feeling” – Irene Cara – listen
• “Hey Mama” – Mat Kearney – listen
• “Sweet Emotion” – Aerosmith – listen
•  “Feel Good Inc.” – Gorillaz – listen

The Workout – Okay, time to kick it up a notch.  These beats will have you popping along in your workout and motivated to take it up a notch.

• “Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – listen
• “Sexy Back” – Justin Timberlake – listen
• “Young Folks” – Peter Bjorn and John – listen
• “Bulletproof” – La Roux – listen
• “Spaz” – N.E.R.D. – listen
• “Pump Up The Jam” – Technotronic – listen
• “Hollaback Girl” – Gwen Stefani – listen
• “Cantaloop” – US3 – listen
• “Stronger” – Kanye West – listen
• “Come Out And Play” – The Offspring – listen
• “Party Rock Anthem” – LMFAO – listen
• “Shake Your Rump” – Beastie Boys – listen
• “Hello” – Martin Solveig & Dragonette – listen
• “Yeah!” – Usher ft. Ludacris & Lil Jon – listen
• “Ooh La La” – Goldfrapp – listen
• “Music” – Madonna – listen
• “Lose Yourself” – Eminem – listen
• “On To The Next One” – Jay-Z – listen
• “Firestarter” – The Prodigy – listen
• “The Stars” – Moby – listen

The Cool Down – By now you are sweating and your heart is pumping fast.  Slow it down with these tunes and feel good about the workout you just completed.

• “Breath” – Telepopmusik – listen
• “Send Me On My Way” – Rusted Root – listen
• “Detlef Schrempf” – Band Of Horses – listen
• “My Sundown” – Jimmy Eat World – listen
• “Fake Plastic Trees” – Radiohead – listen
• “Crazy Life” – Toad The Wet Sprocket – listen
• “Creep” – Scala & Kolancy Brothers – listen
• “Glitter In The Air” – Pink – listen
• “Breakdown” – Tom Petty  – listen
• “Loving Wings” – Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds – listen
• “Blackbird” – Sarah McLachlan – listen
• “Svefn-G-Englar” – Sigur Ros – listen
• “Letting The Cables Sleep” – Bush – listen
• “Just Breathe” – Pearl Jam – listen
• “Skinny Love” – Bon Iver – listen