Music makes everything better! It can relieve pain, reduces stress, makes you work harder, and helps you relax. Music is one of life’s most beautiful gifts. To quote Jimi Hendrix:
Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.
One of the best ways to capture the benefits of music is through singing. It allows you to truly feel the song with your mind, body, and soul. Research has shown singing can improve your health, increase happiness and even extend your life!
Singing is even good for your brain and can make you feel high. It releases endorphins, hormones that produce pleasure, simultaneous to oxytocin, hormones that diminish stress and anxiety.
Oxytocin also decreases feelings of depression and loneliness, making us feel more connected with the world, which is precisely why singing with other people feels even better!
A study done by scientists at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found people who sing together become so connected they exhibit synchronized heartbeats.
Singing also requires deep concentration on breathing, which works major muscle groups in the upper body and is great for both lung and cardiovascular health. Björn Vickhoff, the leader of the study, stated:
Song is a form of regular, controlled breathing, since breathing out occurs on the song phrases and inhaling takes place between these. It gives you pretty much the same effect as yoga breathing. It helps you relax, and there are indications that it does provide a heart benefit.
Therefore, one could make the argument that singing is better for you than doing yoga! Research has also proven that singing produces lower levels of cortisol, reducing stress while improving our immune systems.
Lastly, a joint study from Harvard and Yale Universities in 2008 found singing increases life expectancy. If you want to feel less stressed, become happier, and live longer: Start singing!
