Singing for wellbeing

Carols and classic Christmas hits are everywhere at this time of year and guaranteed to get us all humming and singing along. Let’s face it, who can resist belting out Ding, Dong Merrily On High? It feels good to sing along with others - so why do we limit ourselves to just a few weeks each year? Singing is for everyone! The good news is, it doesn’t matter whether you think you can sing in tune or not, the health benefits will still be the same.

Singing makes you feel better

Singing releases endorphins, serotonin and dopamine – the ‘happy’ chemicals that boost your mood and make you feel good about yourself. Scientists believe that’s one of the reasons why people feel on a high when singing in a choir and continuing to feel positive, uplifted and motivated afterwards.

Singing is good for your lungs

We often take our lungs for granted, but most of us rarely use them to their full capacity. The way singing requires you to breathe makes you do just that, increasing your lung capacity as well as engaging the muscles around the ribcage.

 Singing helps you beat stress

Singing makes us breathe more deeply and deep breathing is good for releasing anxiety reach a state of rest and relaxation. If you’ve had a bad day, give singing a go - it will help you forget your worries and simply be in the moment.

Singing helps improve memory

Singing can help improve mental alertness, memory and concentration as it involves focusing on multiple things at once, engaging many areas of the brain in the process.

Singing builds a sense of community

Singing with other people can help build connections and feelings of togetherness. Synchronizing our voices with others is a great way to create a bond.

Singing lets you express yourself

Singing helps you express how you feel and when you sing in a group, you can also enjoy seeing other people have fun too!

Singing boosts your confidence

Many people get nervous at the thought of performing in public, but singing in a group can actually help boost your confidence and fire up your self-esteem – and the more you do it, the more confident you’ll feel. Good posture is also a key factor in hitting the high notes, so you’ll find you’re naturally standing taller by the end.

LiveWell client Emma joined a choir:

“One of the positives I've gained is going to my pop choir. I wanted to try something new, something else. I'm not a gym-bunny - exercising indoors is not my thing. Singing makes me feel joyful - it combats my anxiety and depression and makes me feel good about myself. It doesn't matter if you can't sing. For anyone going through tough stuff - join a choir.”

Find a local choir:

There are lots of local choirs - here are a few you might like to consider...

https://rockchoir.com/join/

https://www.localvocals.org/

 https://www.relightmychoir.com/

https://www.justsingadultchoir.com/

http://kathieprincemusic.co.uk/heart-and-soul-community-choir

https://www.chickensoupchoir.co.uk/

https://www.risingvoices.org.uk/

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