For many of us, our formal singing experience begins—and ends—with a quasi-traumatizing school choir. But believe it or not, more than 32 million American adults sing regularly in some 270,000 different groups nationwide, according to Chorus America, an advocacy group for the singing field. While you might feel more than a little silly taking your performances anywhere other than your own shower, those 32 million are onto something: There are some surprising health perks linked to the practice. Here are a few benefits of belting it out. (Want to pick up some healthier habits? Sign up to get FREE healthy living tips delivered straight to your inbox!)
Singing eases stress and improves quality of life.
Well, at least for people who don't suffer from crippling stage fright. Studies show positive mood changes among choir singers, including feeling happier, less anxious, less depressed, and overall more plucky about what life has to offer. Much of this research relies on self-reported measures of mood, meaning we don't know much about what might be changing physiologically among singers that leads to these perks. (No word yet on whether being subject to a spouse's shower sonatas has any beneficial effects.)
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It can help you bond.
Theories as to why music makes us feel all the feels date way back to Charles Darwin's time. All throughout history humans have made music, but scientists are kinda stumped as to why. One of the theories is that shared emotional experiences are crucial for living together in a group—it keeps us socially connected like the herd of apes that we are. One of the more recent studies following this line of thinking found members of newly formed singing groups felt closer to each other after just a month of practice than members of newly formed groups with other creative goals, like crafting or writing. The study authors call it the ice breaker effect—not to put any more pressure on first impressions or anything.
Singing improves immunity in cancer patients.
Obviously singing is not going to cure a life-threatening illness. But a recent study suggests it might still offer some help. Researchers tested saliva samples from a group of cancer patients and found higher levels of certain immune system molecules called cytokines after an hour of choir singing, plus lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. While the study authors say more research is needed to determine what kind of lasting effects regular singing could have on patients' health, the study is at the very least preliminary evidence that singing could actually change the immune system, they write.
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It might even be good for your heart.
News flash: singing demands some pretty specific patterns in your breathing. It's not entirely unlike yoga: You take bigger, slower breaths, and in the process, your heart rate typically begins to slow. Both yoga and singing are thought to help improve what's known as heart rate variability, a measure of the amount of time between heartbeats, according to a small 2013 study. The research, rather surprisingly, also found that as members of a choir sang together, their heart rates started to sync up too, perhaps further bolstering that social connection factor of group singing. (Here's what your heart rate says about your health.)
Singing helps curb snoring.
In a study comparing choir singers and non-singers in London, researchers found a significantly lower severity of snoring, of all things, among singers, even after taking into consideration snore-provoking factors like age and BMI. And no, it's not because your attempts at harmonizing could wake up the dead. When the muscles of our airways are soft or weak, they vibrate, causing that disruptive nighttime noise. Strengthening them just like any other muscle is thought to cut back on log sawing. That's the theory behind a series of CDs called Singing for Snorers (not joking!) that will guide you through snore-stopping vocal exercises. Signing up for a choir might actually be less embarrassing...
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Singing may help people with asthma.
There's more to this whole "singing is a fancy way of breathing" thing. Naturally, some scientists have wondered if that slower, more purposeful breath could help people with actual breathing problems. So far, the research is only in early stages, but there's some evidence that singing can slightly improve lung function and reduce symptoms in people with mild asthma, according to a 2014 review of the current research. More studies are definitely needed, but it can't hurt—unless we're talking about eardrums.
Sarah Klein is a Boston-based writer, editor, and personal trainer currently with LIVESTRONG.com, and previously of Health.com, Prevention magazine, and The Huffington Post. She’s the graduate of the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University.
