Choral Singing: The Physical and Psychological benefits
Singing in a choir is good for you and helps you socialize. Science says so. The positive effects of choral singing on health are, in fact, supported by numerous scientific studies. Although it is certainly no mystery that singing has the ability to make people happy by reducing stress and improving mood, there are many other physical, psychological, emotional and social benefits associated with this activity. If you’re looking for more compelling reasons to join a choir, here are some very good reasons to do so, according to science.
Improves the mood:
Choral singing is good for the mental health of those who practice it. It seems that singing a song in company favors the production of endorphins and oxytocin, two substances released by the brain capable of conferring a general state of well-being.
Some research has shown how singing in chorus can be of great help even for those affected by serious disorders such as depression. After a period of group singing activity, the symptom levels in these people dropped dramatically. Musical Instrument Can help you in singing Chorus.
It Reduces Anxiety:
Choral singing represents a complete activity, even from a physical point of view. In fact, its effects on the body are very reminiscent of those of yoga. Singing in choir requires regular and controlled breathing, which allows us to normalize the functions of the vagus nerve, a nerve fiber responsible for our emotional balance, and to reduce the variability of heart rate. All of this has an extremely positive impact on health. Regular breathing and heartbeat result in low cortisol levels and an increased ability to control emotions and anxiety-inducing states.
Train your Memory:
Even if you can’t remember all the words of your favorite songs, singing remains a great way to keep your brain active and to train your memory. Singing regularly, in fact, slows down cognitive decline and helps develop synaptic plasticity.
A study conducted by the University of Helsinki on 89 subjects suffering from dementia showed surprising and encouraging results. After 10 weeks of constant practice in choral singing, the people involved in the research showed improvements in working memory, executive functions and orientation.
It increases the immune system:
As we have seen, singing in chorus lowers blood pressure and improves breathing capacity by reducing cortisol levels in the blood. In this world, not only does it become easier to manage anxiety and stress, but the entire immune system is strengthened.
According to a study conducted by the Royal College of Music, in fact, one hour of singing a day is enough to drastically lower the levels of cortisol and inflammatory cytokines. Low levels of inflammation in the body, in addition to explaining the strengthening of the immune system, could also be the basis for the improvement of mood in choristers.
It fights loneliness and social isolation:
One of the most intuitive advantages of dedicating yourself to a group activity such as choral singing is the improvement of social life. Singing together with other people means experiencing an engaging experience, able to connect in a new way to others and widen your circle of friends. It has in fact been shown that dedicating oneself to singing practice promotes relaxation of the facial muscles and improves communication skills, increasing the degree of empathy and trust between people.
Extend your life:
A research, born from a collaboration between Harvard and Yale, has shown how those who dedicate themselves to choral singing have above-average life expediencies. Singing in a group not only improves blood circulation and fights anxiety and stress, but also helps preserve mental health, helping to maintain a high quality of life.