Singing along to the radio is great. But don't shy away from singing some Christmas carols this next week too. Studies have found it's good for you in more ways than one.
The BBC has an article on how singing is good for your health, especially singing in GROUPS. Here are five ways it's good for you . . .
1. Connecting with other people relieves stress. A study in 2015 had strangers sing together for an hour. And they felt oddly close by the end, like they'd known each other for years.
2. It calms you down. Singing activates your vagus nerve that runs past your vocal cords. Activating it slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and tells your body to stop producing the "stress hormone" cortisol.
3. It expands your lungs. It's so good for your respiratory system, it's even used to help with chronic lung conditions.
4. It stimulates your brain. Singing makes multiple parts of your brain light up. It activates sections linked to language, movement, and emotions.
5. It's a better workout than you'd think. A study in 2021 found it's like going on a fairly brisk walk. You can burn around 100 calories an hour if you're sitting, or twice that if you're standing up. If you're moving around, even more.
(Good News Network / BBC)
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