Well Tuned Naturally

Sing Yourself Healthy

August 11th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

From the youngest of age to those only young at heart, everyone loves a good sing-a-long whether you consider yourself a singer or not. Singing is a natural and enjoyable part of life. Many youngsters learn to sing before they learn to talk, because it’s so natural.

Everyone can be taught to sing; you don’t necessarily need to have a great voice just a desire to make a joyful noise. Whether you sing in a choir, the car, the privacy of your shower or at the pub’s karaoke night singing is an activity that is healthy, fun and affords a great many benefits to the body and mind.

Sing to Relax

Singing helps us to relax and feel better. It allows us to express deep emotion and releases us from stress. It often has a way of lifting our sprits in the midst of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

Physiological, Emotional and Psychological Benefits

Doctors believe that singing is good aerobic exercise for the lungs, abdominal muscles and blood circulation. Singing with or without music is also used in therapy for treating adults who have suffered emotional, physical, and psychological trauma and illnesses. For example music and singing can aid the treatment of stroke victims for whom speech is impaired. Singing is considered beneficial as it helps articulation, rhythm and breathing.

One of the ways in which singing has benefited people is in its use with the elderly. It is becoming popular in the UK and other parts of the country for seniors to join community groups and choirs to sing anything from hymns to modern songs.

The Zimmers

There’s even a British ‘rock group’ made up of 40 old age pensioners called ‘The Zimmers’ who have made a cover version of The Who’s song ‘My Generation’. They have become a bit of a global phenomenon with their popularity reaching as far as the U.S. shores and beyond. The band was originally created as part of a BBC documentary about the treatment of elderly people in Britain. For the pensioners involved however this has certainly brought them out of ‘retirement’ and given them a new lease of life.

Many of the elderly see these singing groups as a lifeline and something to look forward to. These groups are a means of forging good friendships and giving them a sense of belonging which is bound to have a ripple effect as far as their health is concerned. Singing songs from their childhood may well evoke happy memories of youth and special occasions which will cause them to feel better within themselves. Studies in America have shown that singing in the elderly improves their breathing, posture, voices and life expectancy.

So regardless of your age or your ability to carry a tune, join in a chorus and tap into the joys of singing your way to health and healing!