BENEFITS OF SINGING
An article on BBC News stated recently that people with respiratory conditions say that new singing groups are improving their breathing. People with illnesses including Long Covid and asthma are taking part in the Singing for Wellness project. The charity which runs the project, Wren Music, said singing should also help people’s overall well-being. It was started as a pilot scheme in Torbay in 2018 and a spokesman said ‘people can pay what they can afford’ to come along and join in.
A respiratory physiotherapist who is supporting the charity’s project says singing can help people manage breathlessness. People with various lung diseases have said how much better they can function after a few singing sessions. Apparently, singing really focusses on using the diaphragm and this in turn improves lung capacity. Paul Wilson, co-founder and community leader at the charity has been teaching respiratory patients to control and lengthen their breath using singing. He said ‘We only use 10% of our lungs in everyday life but we are using the other 90% when we try to sing.
Keep on Singing for Fun ladies, it’s not only enjoyable, it’s good for your health!
A respiratory physiotherapist who is supporting the charity’s project says singing can help people manage breathlessness. People with various lung diseases have said how much better they can function after a few singing sessions. Apparently, singing really focusses on using the diaphragm and this in turn improves lung capacity. Paul Wilson, co-founder and community leader at the charity has been teaching respiratory patients to control and lengthen their breath using singing. He said ‘We only use 10% of our lungs in everyday life but we are using the other 90% when we try to sing.
Keep on Singing for Fun ladies, it’s not only enjoyable, it’s good for your health!
There are many benefits from singing: physically, emotionally, and socially.
Physically
1. Singing exercises our lungs. It tones up our intercostal muscles and or diaphragm.
2. It can improve our sleep.
3. Benefit our hearts and circulation by improving our aerobic capacity and decrease muscle tension.
4. Our facial muscles get toned.
5. Our posture improves.
6. We can become more mentally alert.
7. Sinuses and respiratory tubes are opened up more.
8. With careful training recent evidence suggests that it can help decrease the problem of snoring.
9. There is a release of pain relieving endorphins.
10. Our immune system is given a boot enabling us to fight disease.
11. It can help reduce anger and depression and anxiety.
12 Use of music can help people to regain balance if affectedly illness such as Parkinson's disease.
Emotionally
1. Increase in self esteem and confidence
2. It increases feelings of wellbeing
3. It enhances mood
4. Useful as a stress reducer
5. It is uplifting spiritually
6. It can increase positive feelings
7. Encourages creativity
8. It can be energising
9. It evokes emotions
10. Promotes bonding
11. Increases understanding and empathy between cultures
12. It can healing
Socially
1. It enables you to meet more people
2. Is a forum for sharing
3. Brings people together and encourages a sense of community
4. Offers opportunity for giving and receiving positive feedback
5. A forum for fun and laughter
6. Support
7. Provides a safe environment to try new skills
8.Brings people together .
WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY!
Here is a testimony from one of our members:
When a local Crowborough lady joined Singing for Fun in 2009 apparently her asthma was so bad that she had developed thrush in her mouth and throat from frequent use of her inhaler. At the time she couldn’t walk up a hill without getting completely out of breath and, when singing, had to take a series of short of short breaths while fellow choir members were able to hold onto their note with gusto. But 18 months later, having enough strength in her lungs to move up from alto to soprano, she threw away all her asthma-related medication. ‘When you’re singing these long top notes, you’re expanding your lungs far more than you would do normally,’ she said. ‘I haven’t done anything else to help my asthma over the past few years, so it must be the singing that’s helped.’
After sports, singing in a choir is the most popular leisure activity in the UK, but many don’t realise that, just like group sport, it’s good for your health and wellbeing. Singing is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the blood stream and exercises major muscles groups in the upper body. The activity also helps to reduce stress levels through the action of the endocrine system, which is linked to our sense of emotional wellbeing. And just like group sports, people who sing together have an increased sense of community.
Apparently, singing is one of the most fundamental natural activities known to man and when we sing together it impacts in three ways: psychologically, physically, and socially. Having to think of words and music together makes the brain work at a very fast rate so it is being exercised in a different way from when we are doing other things.
Gareth Malone agrees. He said ‘You get to focus on something that isn’t work and that is bigger than you and you can get out of yourself. During a really good choir practice you would have thought of nothing else but the music for an hour or more. It’s physically and emotionally demanding and it’s hard not to get involved.’
Another past member of Singing for Fun had been suffering from ME and it was suggested she take up singing. She said it took her several weeks to pluck up the courage to go along to Singing for Fun but was made welcome from the first rehearsal. She also said she found it surprisingly easy to practise at home. After a few months, she had found the energy to return to work and was feeling much better. ‘Singing has given me a real joy,’ she said. ‘It’s helped me feel more positive about myself and is something I can do just for me. I find I don’t have time to worry about anything else when I’m singing.’
Physically
1. Singing exercises our lungs. It tones up our intercostal muscles and or diaphragm.
2. It can improve our sleep.
3. Benefit our hearts and circulation by improving our aerobic capacity and decrease muscle tension.
4. Our facial muscles get toned.
5. Our posture improves.
6. We can become more mentally alert.
7. Sinuses and respiratory tubes are opened up more.
8. With careful training recent evidence suggests that it can help decrease the problem of snoring.
9. There is a release of pain relieving endorphins.
10. Our immune system is given a boot enabling us to fight disease.
11. It can help reduce anger and depression and anxiety.
12 Use of music can help people to regain balance if affectedly illness such as Parkinson's disease.
Emotionally
1. Increase in self esteem and confidence
2. It increases feelings of wellbeing
3. It enhances mood
4. Useful as a stress reducer
5. It is uplifting spiritually
6. It can increase positive feelings
7. Encourages creativity
8. It can be energising
9. It evokes emotions
10. Promotes bonding
11. Increases understanding and empathy between cultures
12. It can healing
Socially
1. It enables you to meet more people
2. Is a forum for sharing
3. Brings people together and encourages a sense of community
4. Offers opportunity for giving and receiving positive feedback
5. A forum for fun and laughter
6. Support
7. Provides a safe environment to try new skills
8.Brings people together .
WHY NOT GIVE IT A TRY!
Here is a testimony from one of our members:
When a local Crowborough lady joined Singing for Fun in 2009 apparently her asthma was so bad that she had developed thrush in her mouth and throat from frequent use of her inhaler. At the time she couldn’t walk up a hill without getting completely out of breath and, when singing, had to take a series of short of short breaths while fellow choir members were able to hold onto their note with gusto. But 18 months later, having enough strength in her lungs to move up from alto to soprano, she threw away all her asthma-related medication. ‘When you’re singing these long top notes, you’re expanding your lungs far more than you would do normally,’ she said. ‘I haven’t done anything else to help my asthma over the past few years, so it must be the singing that’s helped.’
After sports, singing in a choir is the most popular leisure activity in the UK, but many don’t realise that, just like group sport, it’s good for your health and wellbeing. Singing is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the blood stream and exercises major muscles groups in the upper body. The activity also helps to reduce stress levels through the action of the endocrine system, which is linked to our sense of emotional wellbeing. And just like group sports, people who sing together have an increased sense of community.
Apparently, singing is one of the most fundamental natural activities known to man and when we sing together it impacts in three ways: psychologically, physically, and socially. Having to think of words and music together makes the brain work at a very fast rate so it is being exercised in a different way from when we are doing other things.
Gareth Malone agrees. He said ‘You get to focus on something that isn’t work and that is bigger than you and you can get out of yourself. During a really good choir practice you would have thought of nothing else but the music for an hour or more. It’s physically and emotionally demanding and it’s hard not to get involved.’
Another past member of Singing for Fun had been suffering from ME and it was suggested she take up singing. She said it took her several weeks to pluck up the courage to go along to Singing for Fun but was made welcome from the first rehearsal. She also said she found it surprisingly easy to practise at home. After a few months, she had found the energy to return to work and was feeling much better. ‘Singing has given me a real joy,’ she said. ‘It’s helped me feel more positive about myself and is something I can do just for me. I find I don’t have time to worry about anything else when I’m singing.’