Unquestionably, music is a potent force. It has been demonstrated to benefit people in a variety of ways, including by increasing the amount of time spent exercising and improving circulation and heart health.
Even simple musical activities like singing in the shower, which many of us already do, might have positive effects.
It seems that singing helps to reduce tension. In a 2017 study, “Low-stress and high-stress singing have divergent impacts on glucocorticoid response”, saliva samples were taken before and after the participants sang to measure the quantity of the stress hormone cortisol.
Their cortisol levels were found to be lower after singing, suggesting that doing so made them feel more at ease. Also, the researchers discovered that singing lowers stress levels whether people sing in a group or individually.
Nevertheless, there is a little catch, as stated by Healthline: Cortisol will only decrease if you are singing in an environment that does not make you worried.
In a related 2015 study, Dr Daisy Fancourt, a British researcher and Associate Professor of Psychobiology and Epidemiology at University College London, examined salivary cortisol levels after a singing performance. She discovered that cortisol levels increased in this situation.
Her research focuses on the effects of social factors on health, including loneliness, social isolation, community assets, arts and cultural engagement, and social prescribing.
Feel-good hormones called endorphins and another hormone, oxytocin are both released when you sing in the shower. The mixture of both makes us feel joyful and will alleviate our tension and worry. These hormones also numb and lessen pain when they are released.
In a 2004 study, the effects of singing were contrasted with those of merely listening to music. The study’s participants either sang or listened to music in two distinct sessions. The study discovered proof that singing may help strengthen your immune system, according to the School of Natural Health Sciences.
Immunoglobulin A, an antibody your body produces to help fend off infections, was present in higher concentrations among those who sang. Listening to music without singing along lowers stress hormones without boosting the immune system.
There is proof, according to researchers, that singing and listening to music can help people cope better with difficult emotions like sadness and anxiety. A mental health article from the Very Well Mind website cites a 2019 study from BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care that examined individuals who had lost a loved one during the previous five years but had not recently begun taking medication for anxiety or depression or undergoing psychological treatment.
During a period of 12 weeks, half of the participants participated in a choir that met once a week for 90 minutes to sing and socialise. After 24 weeks, the choir group had more stable depression symptoms and overall well-being.
Bathroom singing gives you the freedom to be who you are without any restraints, which serves to divert your attention from bad thoughts. Increased self-awareness and self-esteem, better attention and memory, and higher self-esteem are the top emotional advantages of singing. Caley Garden, a musical therapist and alternative medicine practitioner, claims that singing in the shower may make you feel as though you have a voice, regardless of whether do.
Deep breathing and breath control are necessary for singing, both of which cause the respiratory system's muscles to contract. Singing while practising breathing exercises can benefit persons with lung illnesses including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and cancer
Of course, singing by itself cannot treat these ailments, but employing it to activate the respiratory muscles can help to bolster your health. According to Garden, singing also boosts the quantity of oxygen in the blood, which can aid in circulation and even boost mood.
It could aid in reducing stress, enhancing memory, improving mental health, boosting immunity and lung function, and assisting you in managing physical and emotional discomfort.
The fact that you don't need to be talented to enjoy yourself when singing in the shower is one of its finest features. Singing can support your efforts to enhance your physical, mental, or emotional well-being. It is also a ton of fun, whether you are by yourself or with friends. Who doesn't enjoy pretending they're performing for an audience while having a shower?