Hugh: Singing Christmas Carols Together is Actually Good for Your Mind and Body
Written by Hugh Campbell on December 19, 2022
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If you’re big into celebrating Christmas the idea of caroling with others is probably something you look forward to every year. It turns out that singing some festive tunes in a group is beneficial enough that even the grinchiest of us should give it a go. In one form or another, people have been singing together for thousands of years and research suggests there are some pretty good reasons why. Group singing has social, psychological, behavioural, and biological implications. On a physical level, singing involves consciously managing our breathing, and research suggests that singing in a group can sync peoples’ breathing and heartbeats in a healthy way. Emotionally, singing with others also releases feel-good hormones that increase happiness and bonding with those around us, leading to forming positive relationships. On a psychosocial level, Caroling has also been proven to be helpful to those living with health conditions, as it has been linked to benefits such as building resilience, creating a sense of belonging and purpose, enhancing mood, and improving quality of life. So if you didn’t already plan on doing so, dig that old holiday sweater out of the closet, warm up your pipes, and sing some Christmas favourites this year.
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