We all love to sing whether we’re good at it or not. We sing in the shower, we sing when we are happy and we sing when we are sad. We sing love songs, break-up songs, and praise songs. We worship by singing. We sing when going to war and when the war is over. People love to sing.

An example from my own life came when my husband and I took a road trip with my Dad to his sister’s funeral. He was 84 years old and three of his four siblings, all younger, had already passed. He was understandably saddened and a little melancholy as we drove to the funeral. Earlier my husband had made a CD of my Dad’s favorite Neil Diamond songs sung by the master crooner himself. We popped that into the player and had a two hour sing-a-long on the way back. Neil has love songs, happy songs, sad songs - we sang them all. My Dad knew most of the words already and so did we. We had the best time and the time went by so fast. Benefits from singing are both physical and emotional/psychological.

Here are just a few:

1. Strengthens your immune system: Research has shown an increase in the antibody known as Immunoglobulin A immediately after a singing rehearsal.
2. Improves your posture: Standing up straight is part of the correct technique as you’re singing, so with time good posture becomes a habit, expanding the chest cavity with shoulders and back in better alignment.
3. Helps you sleep: Singing helps to strengthen palatal and throat muscles which can be helpful with sleep apnea/snoring.
4. Lowers your stress levels: Making music in any form is relaxing. Singing releases stored muscle tension and decreases cortisol (stress hormone) in your blood system.
5. Singing is a natural antidepressant: It releases endorphins - the feel good brain chemical makes us feel uplifted and happy. Not only that but singing takes our minds off our troubles and boosts our mood.
6. Singing Improves mental alertness, concentration and memory: It improves blood circulation and forces more oxygen into the bloodstream. The Alzheimer’s society recently established a “Singing for the brain” service to help people with dementia and Alzheimer’s maintain their memories.

Singing really does soothe the soul and lighten the spirit. All cultures, all religions, all people everywhere and at every time have made music with song. It is not the command of fire that sets us apart from the beasts, but our endless writing of music and songs and singing them after we write them. The joy we derive from all of that, truly makes us human.

So don’t be afraid to sing, even if you’re tone deaf and sound like a frog. Singing is good for what ails you, both body and soul. Sing, sing a song, sing it out, sing it strong (Holly Holy by Neil Diamond).

- This wellness point brought to you by our Lincoln, NE hygienist Deb

Learn more about living a healthier lifestyle:

https://nebraskafamilydentistry.com