Science Says Singing Is Actually Good For You
Singing isn’t just for rock stars—it’s an important part of the average person’s daily life. Whether you’re belting out songs in the shower, humming while you cook, or crooning along to the radio in the car, singing has the power to reduce stress hormones, boost your mood, strengthen your body, and improve brain function.
Hearing someone else sing usually makes you feel happier, too. So, if you’ve been holding back because you “can’t sing,” don’t! Your voice was meant to be heard.
It is common to experience voice shame, which prevents us from singing our hearts out because we feel that our voices aren’t good enough.
We often encounter music and singing in group settings, and this leads us to compare ourselves to others.
“The voice is the only instrument that’s part of your body,” said Anne Haugland Balsnes, the lead author of the study and a music professor at the University of Agder.
“We’re all born with a voice that can easily harmonize with others. Young children sing spontaneously; it’s an innate part of being human. Singing simply brings happiness. But it needs nurturing, otherwise, it fades away.”
Singing can be utilized in learning, like with songs about multiplication tables or the community. Songs can also help kids understand sentence structure and learn new languages.
According to Balsnes, singing improves concentration in school. However, research has shown that singing is less common in schools these days.
“I see that schools often rely on a few passionate individuals. That’s why there’s a lot of variation in how much singing happens from one school to another. And if such a teacher leaves, there might not be anyone to take over,” Balsnes said.
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Music is no longer mandatory in teacher training and is poorly reflected in the national curriculum. As a result, many teachers were likely not trained to incorporate singing into their lessons.
Balsnes conducted surveys across several schools and found that most teachers felt positive about singing but did not have the confidence to sing in the classroom themselves.
Singing provides a sense of community and establishes tradition. It’s also valuable for self-expression and communicating emotions.
Furthermore, it nurtures people, and joining a choir can prevent loneliness. Being part of a choir gives people an activity to attend regularly and offers opportunities to make new friends.
Singing even helps people with dementia. Since dementia does not affect the part of the brain where songs are stored, those with dementia can remember tunes they learned before developing the illness. It is an excellent resource in the later stages of life.
Overall, the act of singing offers many practical benefits. By letting song accompany you throughout life, your body and mind will be better off.
The full details of the study were published in The Oxford Handbook of Community Singing.
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