Why a singalong is so good for you
Singing can:
Significantly improve your mood
Leave you feeling good even after you’ve finished singing
Make you feel more alert
Make you feel included and stop you from feeling lonely
Give you the opportunity to interact with other people
Leave you feeling energised
Improve your breathing and posture
Help you cope with stress
Bring a sense of achievement
Help you to communicate
Improve your quality of life
Help with memory
Reduce anxiety – you have to ‘be in the moment’ when singing
Boost your confidence and self esteem
Give you an outlet to express emotions
Strengthen your immune system
Support overall health – it’s an aerobic activity
Help to manage pain
Singing with others has been shown to be so good for you that people who sing regularly have been able to reduce medication for depression, stress, anxiety and pain relief.
Who can sing?
Anyone can sing – in fact, there’s a saying that if you can speak than you can sing, despite what many of us have been told at school or by friends!
In fact, singing is so special that it’s likely that you’d be able to sing even if you were unable to speak (for example, if you’ve had a stroke) because speech is controlled by the left-hand side of the brain, but singing engages both sides. Studies show that stroke survivors who lose their speech are better able to regain it if they attend group singing sessions.
And it doesn’t matter if you think your voice isn’t good enough. The beauty of group singing is that it really doesn’t matter what you sound like – just that you take part and add your voice.
Finding a singing group
You’ll find there are lots of different types of singing groups in your area, from community choirs that sing pop and rock songs to choral societies and groups that are specifically run for people living with dementia.
The trick is to go along and try a few and find one that suits you best – or ask friends who sing which groups they enjoy. Most groups are happy for you to go along for a taster session.
You can also try: