2024-01-02 02:23:28
Geum Dong-yeop Cultural Management Consultant
When the New Year comes, people make various resolutions for their well-being. Of course, it ends with a bang. Isn’t that why there is a Western proverb that says, ‘The first day of the first month is the greatest liar in the world’? However, for the elderly, there is a resolution to keep until the end of the year, which is to live healthily and, as a result, to reduce medical expenses, which is also a financial investment. Therefore, I recommend ‘singing’ as a New Year’s resolution for health, and for that reason, I would like to cite several claims that singing has a positive effect on health.
First, when you sing, ‘endorphins’, ‘serotonin’, and ‘dopamine’ are released, making you feel good. Especially when great harmony is achieved in the chorus, the feeling reaches its peak, and this feeling continues even after the song ends. Second, singing requires breathing, which increases lung capacity and uses related muscles, improving lung function. Additionally, aerobic exercise has the effect of improving blood circulation by supplying more oxygen to the blood.
Third, singing helps relieve stress. One study found that the amount of the stress hormone cortisol decreased in participants’ saliva before and after singing. However, it is said that it only decreased when singing in a non-anxious place. Fourth, singing strengthens the immune system by stimulating the immune response. A study published in 2004 compared the effects of singing with the effects of simply listening, and found that singers had higher levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody secreted by the body to protect against infection. Listening reduced stress hormones but did not stimulate the immune system.
Fifth, singing requires the use of various areas of the brain to increase concentration and mobilize memory, which is helpful in treating dementia. Sixth, singing together, like in a choir or singing class, builds relationships with others and creates a bond, thereby increasing the sense of community. In addition, by synchronizing one’s voice with others, one feels psychological stability by satisfying the need for a sense of belonging through a social bond where oneself and others become one.
Seventh, singing is a good way to express your feelings. Whether sung alone or in chorus, songs are designed to express a variety of emotions. Especially when singing in a group, it is fun to watch other people have fun. Eighth, singing helps relieve pain. However, some researchers believe that social bonding, rather than music itself, is the reason for increased pain tolerance. Ninth, performing for a large audience helps build confidence and energize oneself. The more you sing in public, the more confident you will become. Tenth, singing helps improve speaking skills. So far, researchers have found that singing helps people with speech difficulties, such as stuttering or Parkinson’s disease.
These days, many programs for singing together, from popular songs to choirs, are being provided by welfare organizations and cultural organizations. I think signing up for a program like this will be one of my health resolutions this year.
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