Singing can boost immunity, improve cognitive abilities, enhance mood, and improve lung capacity in individuals with chronic pulmonary disease. Why does singing improve our health?
Boosts Immunity
Nasal nitric oxide is antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial. Healthy sinuses have high amounts of nitric oxide. Humming increases nasal nitric oxide 15- to 20-fold compared with quiet exhalation.1 Research shows that singing increases IgA in saliva, an antibody that protects the body’s mucous membranes, including the respiratory tract.2
Improves Lung Health
While it is advisable to avoid singing around others if you have an upper respiratory infection, singing improves the health of the lungs. A randomized controlled trial found that singing lessons improve oxygen saturation in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).3
Boosts Mood & Cognition
Beyond its effect on nasal nitric oxide, singing influences neurotransmitters and hormones such as oxytocin and endorphins, which are associated with increased well-being.4
Research suggests that people who sing may experience better cognitive outcomes as they age. Studies show that older adults who sing have higher executive functioning, improved cognitive abilities, faster processing speed, better verbal fluency, and improved learning.5
Singing produces beneficial changes in the myelin or nerve insulation in certain pathways inside the brain.6 7 8
Caveat: The words we sing matter. Uplifting words and music that motivate us to be kinder, more generous, and better people have a positive effect on our mood and can shape our actions. Words that reveal lust, violence, and selfishness are harmful to ourselves and others.9
Sources
- Weitzberg E., Lundberg J.O., Humming greatly increases nasal nitric oxide. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 166(2):144-5, Jul 15, 2002.[↩]
- Kreutz G., et al, Effects of choir singing or listening on secretory immunoglobulin A, cortisol, and emotional state. J Behav Med, 27(6):623-35, 2004.[↩]
- Bonilha, A. G., Onofre, F., Vieira, M. L., Prado, M. Y. & Martinez, J. A. Effects of singing classes on pulmonary function and quality of life of COPD patients. Int. J. Chron. Obstruct. Pulmon. Dis. 4, 1–8 2009. [↩]
- Jing Kang, Austin Scholp, Jack J. Jiang, A Review of the Physiological Effects and Mechanisms of Singing, Journal of Voice, Volume 32, Issue 4, 2018, Pages 390-395, ISSN 0892-1997. https://www.jvoice.org/article/S0892-1997(17)30223-0/abstract [↩]
- Tragantzopoulou P, Giannouli V. A Song for the Mind: A Literature Review on Singing and Cognitive Health in Aging Populations. Brain Sci. 2025 Feb 21;15(3):227. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11940398/ [↩]
- Perron M., et al., The frontotemporal organization of the arcuate fasciculus and its relationship with speech perception in young and older amateur singers and non-singers. Hum. Brain Mapp. 2021;42:3058–3076.[↩]
- Dick A.S., et al. The Language Connectome: New Pathways, New Concepts. Neuroscientist. 2014;20:453–467[↩]
- Lumaca M., et al. White matter variability in auditory callosal pathways contributes to variation in the cultural transmission of auditory symbolic systems. Brain Struct. Funct. 2021;226:1943–1959.[↩]
- Bortello R. The harmful side of music: Understanding the effects of rumination on adolescent mental health. April 12, 2023. https://www.manningchildrens.org/news-blog/2023/april/the-harmful-side-of-music-understanding-the-effe/[↩]