Who hasn’t noticed the look of rapture, passion and sheer peace in the faces of the now-famous children who sing at Public School 22 in New York City? (Google them now if you’ve never seen them.)
You’re not just drawn to their amazing voices; you’re drawn to their irresistible energy. We’ve heard about the benefits of music, but did you know that the benefits of singing are also striking? Singing benefits humans emotionally, physiologically, socially and mentally.
You might remember this scenario from childhood: You want to ask your mother something important. You’re waiting for just the right moment, knowing if she’s cranky or in a hurry the answer will be an automatic “no.” You hear her softly singing to herself, and immediately take your opportunity. The sound of someone singing signals the listener that all is well with that person, they are happy and at ease and open for approach.
Singing can cure the blues faster than a pill. You can literally sing your worries out loud, which is done through blues and traditional country-western musical genres. But simply singing to lift anxiety and sadness is often enough to distract yourself from pain and stress.
Beth Lawrence, CEO of Viva La Voice!, insists that singing promotes deep breathing and oxygenates the blood. There’s even evidence that it stimulates brain activity and releases the “feel good” hormones while promoting creativity and improving one’s memory.
As a child, I sang with my siblings and neighbors to pass the time when we were bored. We made up songs or learned new ones together, often performing them for our parents and later for others.
I remember phrases of songs I learned in elementary school, and some were in different languages. We all know that if we create a tune for something we want to memorize, it makes it easier. Singing also improves your speaking voice, poise, and posture, giving you confidence to stand before crowds with more ease.
You might believe that singing should be reserved for those with a talent for it. John Lennon, professor emeritus of vocal performance at Emporia State University in Kansas, thinks everyone can and should sing.
“… Human sound is the mind resonating through the instrument of the body,” he said. “I contend that singing is an inborn response in those moments of absolute emotional tranquility. Babies sing to themselves.
“The fact that we recognize no identifiable melodic sequence does not mean that it is not singing. Such spontaneous oral response has sustained emission, rhythm, pitch variation and emotional expression. Like the infant, we sing because we feel good and singing makes us feel even better.
“When we sing to ourselves we are, in effect, communicating with the inner self … It may well be counter-productive to one’s well being not to sing.”
Singing boosts one’s immunity and prolongs life. Seniors who sing show decreased signs of depression and used less medication in one study. It even improves us socially. Remember the spontaneous explosions of singing in malls around the country during the holidays?
These were thrilling to watch and a joy to experience. Singing connects us to others in a way that is unique, warm, and easily received. This year, let’s resolve to sing our hearts out.
Tabi Upton, MA-lpc, is a therapist at CBI-Richmont Counseling Center and founder of the online resource www.chattanoogacounselor.com. E-mail her at tabiupton@bellsouth.net.