Singing Changes Your Brain

That’s a good thing. As the popularity of group singing grows, Science has been trying to explain why singing, especially group singing has such a positive and calming, yet energizing effect on people. Researchers discovered that singing is like taking a tranquilizer, it soothes nerves and elevates the spirits.

The effect is from endorphins, a hormone associated with feelings of pleasure  released by singing; which is why people sing when doing something they enjoy or are just “feeling groovy”.  It can also be caused from oxytocin, another hormone that’s released when singing and has been found to alleviate anxiety and stress.

Oxytocin also enhances feelings of trust and bonding, which may explain why still more studies have found that singing lowers feelings of depression and loneliness.

The benefits of singing regularly are cumulative. In one study, singers were found to have lower levels of stress, and suggest that our heart rates may sync up during group singing.

This explains why group singing is used in so many public events; not only during a religious ceremony, but in public and political gatherings as well.  They create a sense of being “part of the group”.

Studies have shown that singing relieves anxiety and contributes to quality of life. One researcher who focused on older singers found that group singing could improve the health and well-being of older adults and lowers stress.

You don’t even have to be a good singer.  Studies of group singing reported “satisfying and therapeutic sensations even when the sounds produced are of mediocre quality” and regardless of what those just listening may feel.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.