"the only thing better than singing is more singing"
Ella Fitzgerald said “the only thing better than singing is more singing” In the UK they are even trying to get choir membership on prescription! so convinced is the medical profession of its health benefits.
Those of us who sing regularly, don’t need convincing but for those of us who might need a little encouragement to sing beyond the shower or the safety of the car, I’ve done a little research and here some of the proven health benefits of singing in a choir……..
- It is upper body aerobic activity which uses the major muscle groups (that explains why I felt like I’d done a work out in the gym when I first joined then…)
- It improves the efficiency of your cardiovascular system because you are deep breathing and improving oxygenation.
- Stress relief – when you are singing there’s nothing else to think about at that moment – you are here! and this is now! it’s a great way to switch off from the day to day stress.
- Feeling of Social inclusion and belonging to a group has enormous psychological benefits that can help to prevent depression, reduce chronic pain and increase self esteem.
- Deep breathing can help to prevent chest and upper respiratory problems because improved airflow reduces the risk of bacteria settling there.
