You Can Add Singing To Your Mental Health Toolbox

Crooning out the mesmerizing tune of Celtic Woman’s rendition of “Caledonia” held me up from starting this article. You’ve felt it before; the rush of belting out every word perfectly to your favorite song, using all the breath in your lungs to support the notes; you connect to the lyrics and melody. It’s exhilarating, comforting, fun, and, at times, physically challenging in best way! Did you know singing, for all these qualities and more, is good for your mental health?

I’ve loved singing my whole life but didn’t start truly using my full voice until my tonsils were removed (which don’t recommend doing in your 20’s if you can help it). I was taking classic voice courses in college and practiced fervently during that time. Later, I’d be preparing for regular stage roles involving use of my trained vocals. Having been out of lessons and theater for some time, I don’t regularly make time for my voice training.

But I need to make time for singing! The difference in me when practiced and when not is becoming clear. What I share with you here probably explains why.

Here are four ways singing benefits your mental health:

Singing makes you happier: I feel better when I sing. Sometimes I sing when I’m sad because I know it will bring my mood up. This is due to the act of singing releasing different hormones, such as endorphins, that promote improved mood. This becomes even more powerful when singing in a group. 

Singing improves sleep: Doubtless you know that sleep has a major impact on mental health and many other functions of the body. It can even create a cyclical affect if a mental illness impacts sleep you become more tired, and then your tiredness affects your mental illness and back around. One impact singing can have on sleep is by strengthening muscles in the throat which reduces snoring. Less snoring = more sleep!

Singing is great physical activity: I won’t go into the benefits of physical activity and exercise here. If you want more information, check out my earlier article on it. Did you know singing is exercise, too? Since physical activity has major benefits for mental health, singing is another fun option to add a different type of exercise to your routine. I know my lungs and core always feel stronger when I’m regularly practicing vocals. Singing certainly feels like a workout to me!

Singing relieves stress: You may be working out some muscles when signing, but you’re also reducing muscle tension, thereby reducing stress. Additionally, it’s been found that singing reduces cortisol, one of the stress hormones. Singing is certainly soothing to me. I definitely feel less stressed when regularly challenging my vocal abilities.

As I finish this article I’m enjoying my favorite song from The Darkness, “I Believe In A Thing Called Love,” while joining vocalist Justin Hawkins in the high notes! It’s time I get back into practicing singing every day to support my mental health progress.

How about you? Is singing going to become one of your ways to support mental health and wellness? Let me know in the comments, or on social media at Twitter or Instagram!

Works Cited

Celtic Woman. "Caledonia." Emerald: Music Gems, 2007.

Horn, Stacy. “Singing Changes Your Brain.” Time, Time, 16 Aug. 2013, http://ideas.time.com/2013/08/16/singing-changes-your-brain/.

Ibe, Uche. “Three Ways Singing Makes You Healthier.” Making Music Magazine, 24 Apr. 2019, https://makingmusicmag.com/three-ways-singing-makes-you-healthier/.

Innes, Emma. “How Singing Could Be the Key to a Good Night's Sleep: Research Suggests Vocal Exercises Can Stop Snoring.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers Ltd, 16 Aug. 2013, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2395795/How-singing-key-good-nights-sleep-Research-suggests-vocal-exercises-stop-snoring.html.

The Darkness. "I Believe In A Thing Called Love." Permission To Land, 2003.

University of East Anglia. "How singing your heart out could make you happier." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 December 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171221101402.htm>.

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