March 20th is both the calendrical beginning of spring and “International Day of Happiness”. They fit together perfectly. And what makes people especially happy? Correct: Singing! There are numerous reasons for this, from cheerful trilling in the shower to organised singing in a choir to professional singing. We have put together 10 of them for you:
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A wonderful feeling: expressing emotions with sounds
When you sing, you put your whole soul into the song. Think about it, singing is not an involuntary bodily function, it requires a bit of effort and, for some, even courage. With the music you express emotions that you might otherwise not be able to express. And the connection it creates between you and the listener is something very special. People sing their children to sleep, with a song they show their partner how much they love them. The voice is the instrument of your deepest feelings.
Perfection possible, but not absolutely necessary
Of course, we all want the singing to sound beautiful, tuned and harmonious in order to hit the listeners deep inside. But perfection is not really what accomplishes this, especially for home use. You can sing the way you know how, in your unique way, without anyone telling you what to do. Singing is always a great moment of freedom.
Completely free in your choice of music
Of course, the individual requirements are different. Be it entertainment on a stage, the shared experience in a choir or that you just want to have fun in between. While you have to practice quite a long time on an instrument until the first melodies or harmonies are in place, you can simply draw from the repertoire of your favourite songs when singing. And then sing what you like. Without restrictions you can do whatever you like. Singing without limits, so to speak.
Draw self-confidence from your voice
The voice is an instrument like any other. Perhaps even the most multifaceted and complex of all. And just like other instruments, you get better and better over time. You learn to understand the voice, to control the vocal cords, to use the resonating spaces and the breath. You will notice how, step by step, you will be able to control them better and better. This gives you a good dose of self-confidence! Singing can be your protective wall against bad moods and depression.
The sense of community: When singing, everyone belongs together
When we sing together with others, we feel connected to them. People feel safe, protected and simply at ease in the community. The choir, the band or simply the group singing together spontaneously form a unity of like-minded people. Music can express communal emotions or messages, something that words can rarely do.
Singing as a stress-free comfort zone – everyday problems forgotten
When we sing, we concentrate on the sounds,melodies and ultimately on our whole body. Everyday things become secondary in such moments. We simply stop thinking about our problems, they become irrelevant. Singing becomes a meditation. Blissful distraction!
Stress reduction – medically proven
More and more evidence collected by scientists shows the positive effect of singing: the happiness hormones are undoubtedly activated. Singing increases cognitive performance and reduces physical and psychological stress. Saliva samples after choir lessons have even shown increased oxytocin values: the stress-relieving hormone.
Promotes breathing & muscular relaxation
Singing is comparable with athletic training. because breathing frequency and quality is increased compared to when resting. Through deep inhalation and exhalation the parasympathetic nervous system is addressed. The result is that we become calm and relaxed. This in turn lowers blood pressure, slows down the pulse and relaxes the muscles.
Sporty motivator for circulation & concentration
Your circulation gets going, the efficient breathing during singing boosts the metabolism and also the blood circulation of the organs and the brain. Consequently, the ability to concentrate is increased. If we wanted to take it to the euphoric extreme, we would say: Singing makes you smart.
Activation of neurotransmitters & happiness hormones
The fact is that singing activates the typical messenger substances in the brain and body. The increased concentration of endorphins, immunoglobulin A and oxytocin, for example, has a positive effect on your immune system. Above all: the feeling of happiness floods your being and singing caresses the soul in a unique way.
By the way:
As early as 2015 a survey was published on the so-called icebreaker effect. The positive effect of singing on interpersonal relationships was scientifically proven. Click here for the study.
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Well, off to the spring. For the International Day of Happiness we don’t show what makes us different, but what connects us. We wish you an extremely happy day and are looking forward to your comments!
Joe has been singing since he can remember and started playing guitar when he was 10. He's been using it as a songwriting tool ever since. He is passionate about melody and harmony and admires musicians who create these in unique ways. Check out his alternative / indie projects Best of Feelings and Zef Raček.
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