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Benefits of Singing

"A High Note For Happiness"

"British researchers recently surveyed 375 people who sang in a choir, sang alone or played on a sports team. All the activities contributed to greater emotional well-being, but people in choirs reported feeling happier than those who belted out tunes solo. Chorus members also rated their choirs as more meaningful social groups than athletes did their sports teams. The physical sychrony- acting in time with others- of choral singing could promote feelings of unity."

From Readers' Digest, April 2014

Group of female barbershop singers

"Harmonizing For Good Health"

"It's been said that music heals the heart. But can it promote healthy aging? To find out, cognitive neuroscientist Julene K. Johnson is studying health changes in choir members at 12 senior centers in San Francisco. The professor at the University of California in San Francisco has already studied choruses in Finland and found an improved quality of life among older choir members. Another study at Georgetown University concluded that older adults who sang in a chorus for one year had fewer falls, fewer doctor visits and less loneliness than those in a control group. Choral singing, Johnson says, allows people to "use their bodies and minds while creating something beautiful."

From AARP Bulletin, January/February 2014