Friday, 24 July 2015
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF SINGING ON YOUR BODY
Physical Effects of Singing
All types of singing have positive psychological effects. The act of
singing releases endorphins, the brain's "feel good" chemicals.
Singing in front of a crowd, a la karaoke, naturally builds confidence, which
has broad and long-lasting effects on general well-being. But of all types of
singing, it's choral singing that seems to have the most dramatic effects on
people's lives.
A study published in Australia in 2008 revealed that on average, choral
singers rated their satisfaction with life higher than the public -- even when
the actual problems faced by those singers were more substantial than those
faced by the general public [source: MacLean].
A 1998 study found that after nursing-home residents took part in a singing
program for a month, there were significant decreases in both anxiety and
depression levels [source: ISPS].
Another study surveying more than 600 British choral singers found that singing
plays a central role in their psychological health [source: ISPS].
Singing can have some of the same effects as exercise, like the release of
endorphins, which give the singer an overall "lifted" feeling and are
associated with stress reduction. It's also an aerobic activity, meaning it
gets more oxygen into the blood for better circulation, which tends to promote
a good mood. And singing necessitates deep breathing, another anxiety reducer.
Deep breathing is a key to meditation and other relaxation techniques, and you
can't sing well without it.
Singing can have some of the same effects as exercise, like the release of endorphins, which give the singer an overall "lifted" feeling and are associated with stress reduction. It's also an aerobic activity, meaning it gets more oxygen into the blood for better circulation, which tends to promote a good mood. And singing necessitates deep breathing, another anxiety reducer. Deep breathing is a key to meditation and other relaxation techniques, and you can't sing well without it.
Saturday, 11 July 2015
Thursday, 9 July 2015
Could singing stop snoring? Doctor says vocal exercises could be the key to a peaceful night's sleep
Could singing stop snoring?
Doctor says vocal exercises could be the key to a peaceful night's sleep
- A set of daily vocal
exercises can strengthen the weak throat and palate muscles which can
cause snoring
- The discovery was made after
a singing teacher devised a way to help her friend stop snoring
- Following the programme for
three months reduces the frequency and severity of snoring and improves
sleep
·
A simple
set of daily vocal exercises can strengthen the weak throat and palate muscles
which are a major cause of snoring, experts believe.
·
The
discovery was made after a singing teacher devised a way to help a friend stop
snoring.
·
Alise
Ojay designed a programme of singing exercises which targeted the throat and
stopped both chronic snoring and sleep apnoea, which causes people to stop
breathing during deep sleep.
Her
finding prompted a major study at Exeter University and the Royal Devon and
Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.
It saw 30
snorers try the exercises for a few minutes every day for three months.
By the
end of the trial, their snoring had significantly improved compared to 30
others who didn't try the treatment.
Malcolm
Hilton, a consultant otolaryngologist who led the research, said: 'Alise told
me that a number of people had benefitted from the singing exercise programme
she had devised to strengthen the throat muscles.
'I then
set up this trial and the results have been really interesting.'
‘The
conclusion that we came to was that the three month programme of daily singing
exercises reduced the frequency and severity of snoring, and improved overall
quality of sleep.’
Mr Hilton
said all the trial participants found the singing exercises easy to perform and
were able to keep them up throughout the three months.
He added:
‘It opens up a whole new avenue of potential treatment which avoids surgery, so
it is definitely good news for snorers.
‘However,
it must be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes. Being overweight, for
example, is the biggest, single independent predictor of snoring.’
The
research has been published in the International Journal of Otolaryngology and
Head and Neck Surgery, an open-access journal.
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