Nanny to Mommy

Humans have been singing since the beginning of time. Even as babies, people can carry a tune whether to entertain or express themselves. Others also find joy in choral singing by joining a school club or the church choir.

Choirs are an integrated part of every church ministry, and to better help to organize ministry functions, you can share some suggestions on starting a church ministry to make your local ministry functions more effective for the community. Choirs are an essential part of every church's worship services, and with a little planning and effort, starting a church choir can be a rewarding experience for everyone involved.

Singing in a group offers many potential physical and emotional benefits, which is backed by science! Aside from being a creative outlet, choral singing is an excellent social activity that many people enjoy.

Those interested in joining a choir will be surprised to discover the myriad of health and social benefits it provides.

Just like athletes in a sports team, choir members tend to develop a strong sense of camaraderie by singing together. According to a study, being part of a musical group helps people develop a deep sense of inclusion and community. Participants could feel a more meaningful connection with other choir members than when they sing solo.

Bonding with others releases a neurochemical known as oxytocin. Also called the love hormone, oxytocin is released during exercise, consensual physical contact, and listening to or creating music, especially singing in a group.

The past years have closed off relationships due to the pandemic. With this, it’s more important to rekindle social connections for more holistic well-being. Joining a choir is one way to achieve this.

Performing in front of other people, whether at church, events, or competitions, is a great achievement. Many people don’t only join choirs to socialize with others. They also do it to share their talent with the world.

This sense of accomplishment is even more heightened with choir competitions. There are local choir competitions and even the World Choral Championship that groups can join in if they want to showcase their singing chops. Aside from cash prizes, choral contests provide music awards and medals to the winners to commemorate this sweet moment.

Being in a choir is a great way to express one’s artistic side. Aside from working a nine-to-five job, it’s important to also engage in activities that fuel one’s passion.

Everyone has a “creative muscle” that doesn’t get stronger by itself. Singing in a choir is a great way to develop this muscle. This serves as the perfect outlet for creative expression, and it is a great way to practice and improve one’s skills.

As a bonus, singing in front of others boosts self-confidence. This is a great start for those who want to feel more confident in other aspects of their lives, such as dealing with people at work or making personal decisions.

A 2019 BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care study reveals that participants who lost a loved one show better self-efficacy after joining a choir for 90 minutes a week for 12 weeks. That is because singing has been known to lower cortisol levels, also known as the stress hormone.

When a person feels stressed, cortisol levels shoot up, which isn’t good news for one’s health. Having high cortisol levels increases blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to various health problems over time.

People can reduce their stress and promote their heart health by singing regularly.

Singing provides the same benefits as exercise, especially when doing it with a group. They both release feel-good hormones known as endorphins. Like the euphoria one feels after having a good jog around the block or an excellent yoga session, belting out a tune also instantly promotes a good mood.

Singing also involves deep breathing techniques, a great method for reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation. Choral singers are known to control their breathing to support and sustain their voices. Doing otherwise will easily tire out their vocal cords and make them lose their voice over time.

Deep breathing through singing does not only help reduce anxiety. It also exercises the muscles of the respiratory system. This is a great activity to improve lung health, especially for people with certain respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), cystic fibrosis, and even cancer.

While singing does not directly treat these conditions, it’s a great exercise to strengthen the respiratory muscles and get more oxygen to circulate throughout the body. This alleviates respiratory symptoms and allows people to improve their way of life in the long run.

Singing in a choir has been proven to help those with speech problems due to neurological conditions, including stroke, autism, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.

Auckland-based Centre for Brain Research founded the CeleBRation Choir during the lockdown, which aims to help its members recover and maintain their voice through singing. This has led more choirs and groups to follow their lead and help other people recover from their condition through music therapy.

Just Keep Singing

Participating in a choir offers many benefits to one’s physical health and overall well-being. Some people may be daunted by the idea of performing in front of a crowd. But over time, singing helps others gain confidence and overcome their fears. The health benefits—and bragging rights—are just the icing on top.