Why Singing is Good for You

by Rebecca Cleary

Singing is a central part of our lives, from junior school assemblies to West End productions. Singing is a very broad musical skill, because you can train chorally, for opera, musical theatre and more.

There are many benefits of singing; you can learn to read music, you can make new friends, improving social interactions in the process, and discover a new talent that can open many doors.

However, there are some benefits from singing that aren’t as obvious. Singing has a beneficial impact on our physical health. For example, singing helps your respiratory and cardiac function. An article written by Jacques Launay, a researcher at Oxford University, states that singing is: ‘particularly beneficial in improving breathing, posture and muscle tension’, which shows that singing not only helps us socially and musically, but also physically.

Furthermore, studies have shown that singing helps to improve mental health. In 2017, the BBC published an article following research, which showed that singing in groups can increase confidence and even benefit people who are recovering from mental illness.

With so many other demands on people’s lives, it is often difficult to find time to participate in music and the arts, but singing is something that everyone can do, with or without formal training. Having taken part in many musical activities, I am very grateful for the opportunities that singing has brought me, and so I encourage others to get involved as well.