Heart & Soul

    A person need not be auditioning for the next season of “American Idol” to start belting out a favorite tune. Although many people may restrict their singing to the shower or when no one is around to hear, there are some surprising health benefits of singing frequently.
    
Singing and stress
    Scientists say that singing can have a calming but energizing effect on people. Singing can help tame stress but also lift the spirits. Singing is a natural antidepressant. According to information published in Time magazine, singing may release endorphins associated with feelings of pleasure as well as stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone that is found to alleviate anxiety and stress. Choir singers, who often report feeling happy and free of significant anxiety, may notice their moods improving when they start to sing. Singing with a group can also reduce loneliness by bringing together like-minded people engaged in the same activity.
    
Singing and immune system function
    Singing can be a form of exercise that works the lungs and other parts of the body required to project one’s voice. Singing may lead to a stronger diaphragm and stimulation of circulation due to the greater amount of oxygen needed to carry a tune. Research conducted at the University of Frankfurt found that professional choir members who had their blood tested before and after an hour-long rehearsal displayed a greater amount of antibodies called immunoglobulin A after the rehearsal. These increases were not found in the choir members who simply listened to music. In the study, titled “Singing modulates mood, stress, cortisol, cytokine and neuropeptide activity in cancer patients and carers,” researchers found higher levels of cytokines present in the blood of those who sung for an hour in a choir, and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

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