Singing Is Great for Your Mental Health (Even If You Can’t Carry a Tune)

It can having lasting positive impacts on our well-being, helping us cope with grief, process complex emotions, and deal with anxiety. It also triggers a release of endorphins and dopamine, which in turn provides us with opportunities for increased awareness in our body and mind.

Take two minutes to read, explore, and reflect. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind Singing Is Great for Mental Health (Even If You Can't Carry a Tune)   Whether you're singing at the top of your lungs in the car or happily humming while tackling chores, there's no denying that singing just feels good. Science tells us that doing so isn't just a fleeting feeling, either.   Singing can have lasting positive impacts on our well-being, help us cope with grief, process complex emotions, and deal with anxiety. It also triggers a release of endorphins and dopamine, which in turn provides us with opportunities for increased awareness in our body and mind.   Studies have demonstrated the positive effects of singing, as well. For example, a 2021 study by the University of Helsinki found that adults over 60 who participated in a choir had higher verbal functioning than those who refrained.   Another study from 2019 examined participants who'd recently lost a loved one and hadn't taken medication or gone through therapy. Half the participants went to a choir rehearsal for 90 minutes weekly to sing and socialize for 12 weeks. At 24 weeks out from the study's start, the choir group experienced more stable depression symptoms and overall well-being, as well as better self-esteem and self-efficacy.     Singing songs that match your mood or express how you want to feel, rather than simply listening, allows you to more deeply tap into and move through various emotions." — ALISON HUGHEY, MUSIC THERAPIST  What This Means For You You don't have to be a professional singer or even a "good" singer to reap the rewards. If you're not keen on joining a community choir or picking up a karaoke mic, just indulge in the privacy of your car, shower, or home.   Try putting on a favorite song and humming along or singing your heart out. You can also try making music with an instrument or simply feeling the music you're listening to.   On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week What's Inspiring Us If you're in need of a musical pick-me-up, press play on this Happy Oldies playlist from Spotify. It's full of feel-good bops like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Good Vibrations." Products to Help You Feel Your Best Add a little musical flare to your shower experience with a waterproof speaker. Hydro Beat's Portable Bluetooth Speaker fits the bill. Who needs a karaoke machine when you've got your own personal karaoke microphone? This one connects to your phone and has a built-in speaker to make you feel like a rock star wherever you are.  Some music can also help you sleep better. Try one of these sleep music apps tonight. Read These Next 10 Surprising Psychological Benefits of Music READ NOW What Your Music Taste Reveals About Your Personality READ NOW 7 Ways to Use Music for Stress Relief READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy