Singing and Laughing
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | Frank Houck, Jr. |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Mon, Mar 18 2024 |
Frank Houck, Jr - March 2024
I love to talk about the big picture benefits of belonging to the Rocket City Chorus; the spiritual, soul-level benefits of singing: the confidence it can bring you, and the way it connects you to your community and your inner being. And that stuff is hugely important, but it is sometimes easy to forget that regular singing has tangible, real-world, physical benefits too.
For instance, did you know that singing can:
I love to talk about the big picture benefits of belonging to the Rocket City Chorus; the spiritual, soul-level benefits of singing: the confidence it can bring you, and the way it connects you to your community and your inner being. And that stuff is hugely important, but it is sometimes easy to forget that regular singing has tangible, real-world, physical benefits too.
For instance, did you know that singing can:
- Boost immunity - Research into the immune system’s response to singing is still in the early stages, but studies so far look promising. When researchers tested the saliva of choir singers after an hour’s rehearsal, they discovered higher levels of immune enhancing proteins, Immunoglobulin A. Laughter may be the best medicine, but it looks like singing is not far behind.
- Combat stress - This is a biggie. After all, we have all heard about (and probably experienced) the many physical symptoms that come from being stressed. The headaches, the poor sleep, the weight gain, the tense muscles. When life is a bit crazy and you’re slammed with work, caring for your family, or other responsibilities, having a regular date with our chorus — taking the time to do something just for you — can be the tonic you need to relieve some of that tension. And you cannot beat belting out a powerful song as a form of mindfulness, keeping you in the moment, and helping you forget your troubles for an hour or two.
- Improve heart health - Laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner. With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use. Now, I am not saying that you can ditch fruit and oatmeal, but if you want to improve your heart health, singing is a great place to start. As with yoga practice, singing encourages you to concentrate on your breathing —as you breathe more consciously and slowly, your heart rate can also slow. And you do not have to tie yourself in knots in the process.
- Give you a good night’s sleep - There is nothing worse than waking yourself up from a deep sleep with a great snort! And it is no picnic for anyone sharing a bed with a snorer either. Well, you can put away those ear plugs, I may have the answer for you right here. Snoring can be caused by weakened airway muscles vibrating and regular singing can strengthen these muscles, reducing vibrations, and ensuring a peaceful night’s sleep for everyone.
- Improve posture - Norm mentioned last week that we’re probably all a little guilty of letting our posture slip; too much time spent at a desk or hunched over a laptop can play havoc with our back muscles but after a while your singing stance (standing up straight, shoulders back for better projection) can become a habit that will improve your posture as you go about your other daily tasks too.
- Reduce asthma symptoms - This is another one that is still in the early stages of research, but it was too exciting to leave off the list as anyone who must live with asthma symptoms will understand. Again, it comes down to slow, concentrated breathing and the positive impact this can have on lung function. It is too soon to say for sure whether singing can help in the long-term, but for those who have mild asthma symptoms, it’s certainly worth a try!
