Remember how the tunes and lyrics from those Disney movies or musicals stick with you. Then, you find yourself suddenly belting one out as you drive home from work on Friday afternoon. The sheer joy of singing, even if you can’t carry a tune, just makes you feel good. But is it only the musical memories it evokes or is there more to it.
Researchers believe there’s more.
Much more.How singing helps your brain
- When you sing, it releases endorphins (those chemicals that make you feel-good) into the brain.
- It can lift mild depression.
- Learning the lyrics to songs improves your memory.
- Singing boosts your immune system, helping you resist illnesses.
- A song in your heart releases stress.
- The deep breathing, while you sing, clears your thinking.
- Vocalizing benefits your heart.
- While singing, your energy level increases.
When you sing correctly, that is, when you breathe deeply from your belly as you sing, you fill your lungs with oxygen which pushes more oxygen into your brain. In turn, that extra oxygen gives your mind the extra energy boost. The exercise provides your entire cardiovascular system a workout.
But singing does more than improve oxygen levels. Its vibrations change your brain itself by altering your brainwaves. And the endorphins it releases floods your mind with delight.
Researchers have studies on group singing such as in a choir or glee club revealing that singers have lower cortisol levels, meaning they have lower stress levels. Lower daytime cortisol levels give you a better night’s sleep too so singing can help you be more rested. Singing keeps you younger also. It gives your body and your brain a good workout and exercises your facial and neck muscles.
Children benefit from singing too. Lullabies, rhymes, and chants carry the rhythm of their culture. It prepares them for hearing and forming words, and developing language. Their speech improves when they learn to sing new words. And as they sing with you, it promotes social bonding.
If you’ve recently moved to a new city, finding a choral group, musical theater, or even the karaoke night at your local pub can give you an opportunity to exercise your voice, improve your brain, and also make new friends. Check with your local library or speak to the music teacher at your children’s school for information on vocal opportunities near you.
