The Neuroscience of Singing: 5 Ways Singing Affects the Body and Brain

The Neuroscience of Singing: 5 Ways Singing Affects the Body and Brain

What happens to your brain when you sing?

The brain is divided into 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital. Singing activates all parts of your brain.

While the right side of the brain is mainly responsible for creativity and intuition— the left side handles logic and language. Music requires both sides of the brain. 

Because regular singing is a complete brain activity requirement, it can lead to lasting structural brain changes. It promotes neuroplasticity, helping to rewire damaged neural pathways in the brain. These adaptations improve cognitive functions, such as speech and language skills, and contribute to overall emotional and physical well-being.

In today’s article, I’ll be exploring 5 Ways Singing Affects the Body and the Brain

• Instantly boosts your mood 
• Improves the immune system 
• Rewires damaged neural pathways
• Improves cognitive functions 
• Promotes and rewires neuroplasticity
• Improves overall emotional and physical well-being

Let’s dive in… .

1. Instantly boosts your mood 

One of the most notable impacts of singing is the immediate boost in your mood. In his podcast, Michael Mosley reveals how singing may release ‘happy hormones’, such as dopamine and endorphins, to give you a true natural high.

Studies have reported that singing increases of oxytocin, a social bonding hormone, which may help explain why singing in a group is such a good ice-breaker. 

The natural high it gives you may also help with pain relief. Many people living with chronic pain report that regular singing means they need fewer painkillers to control their pain.

2. Improves the immune system 

Recent research has found that singing in a group for as little as one hour could boost your immune system. One study compared the impact of singing with the effects of listening to music, found that those who sang produced higher levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that acts as an important first line of defense for the immune system.

Several studies looking at singing and its effects on our immune system found that a single session of singing in a choir can reduce chronic inflammation, improving our immune system’s capacity to respond to infection. 

3. Improves cognitive functions
 
Studies have shown that singing improves cognitive function. Cognitive function refers to the mental processes that allow individuals to think, learn, remember, and interact with the world around them. It includes abilities such as memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and language skills.

“When you’re singing, you are engaging in the frontal and parietal systems in the brain where you regulate your own behavior, and you use more of your motor and cognitive resources in terms of vocal control and executive functions,” said Särkämö, coordinator of the PREMUS project.

Early results from a longitudinal study, which compared neurocognitive functioning between members of senior choirs and healthy older adults (who do not sing) showed the positive effects of singing on cognitive and auditory functioning and the importance of the social interaction it brings, which may help delay the onset of dementia.

In cases of Alzheimer’s disease, aphasia and ageing, there is growing evidence for preservation of music-evoked memories and emotions in singing. This could make music and singing an alternative channel for verbal and emotional expression, inducing memory and self-awareness.

Research from the journal “Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience” proposes a rationale for how rhythmic input can improve sensorimotor functioning and overall growth in cognition, behavior, social skills, and communication. Because movement is critical to many areas of functioning, researchers LaGasse and Hardy hypothesize that the well-documented benefits of rhythm in motor rehabilitation could also be effective for individuals with autism.

4. Promotes and rewires neuroplasticity

Singing can rewire neural pathways through a process called neuroplasticity, where the brain adapts and changes in response to new experiences and training. Engaging in singing activates brain regions that produce feel-good chemicals, helping to form new connections and improve emotional and cognitive functions.

Singing strengthens neural pathways and supports neuroplasticity.  Regular singing lights up your brain and engages several neurological processes and regions, including regions responsible for:

• Auditory processing
• Motor Skills
• Emotional regulation

Having regular singing practice gets these processes going, oils the gears, and makes them easier to use when you need them out in the rest of the world. Singing is unique in its ability to support neuroplasticity, and there have been several studies on the effects singing has on the brain. is something like going to the gym for your brain- it’s getting a workout and becoming stronger with each refrain.MIT neuroscientists have identified a population of neurons in the human brain that respond to singing but not other types of music. For the first time, MIT neuroscientists have identified a population of neurons in the human brain that lights up when we hear singing, but not other types of music.

These neurons, found in the auditory cortex, appear to respond to the specific combination of voice and music, but not to either regular speech or instrumental music. Exactly what they are doing is unknown and will require more work to uncover, the researchers say.

“The work provides evidence for relatively fine-grained segregation of function within the auditory cortex, in a way that aligns with an intuitive distinction within music,” says Sam Norman-Haignere, a former MIT postdoc who is now an assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

5. Improves overall emotional and physical well-being

Singing is a complex event that involves various neurological processes. 

Singing for as little as five minutes has an effect on your well-being. There are a myriad of profound psychological and biological effects. 

When we sing, our brain engages in a symphony of activity. Neuroimaging studies have shown that singing activates multiple brain regions simultaneously, including those involved in motor control, auditory processing, and emotional expression. It can help build our self-confidence, reduce loneliness, and impact levels of anxiety and lowers stress levels. 

The vagus nerve, as a key player in this intricate dance, coordinates the interaction between these regions, allowing for seamless vocal production.

The vagus nerve influences the vocal cords directly and indirectly through its connections with other nerves. For example, it communicates with the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which supplies the muscles responsible for fine-tuning the tension of the vocal cords.

In addition to controlling the vocal cords, the vagus nerve contributes to the resonance – the quality and richness – of our singing voice. By regulating the muscles responsible for opening or closing the throat, the vagus nerve helps to define the vocal tract’s shape. 

This shaping, combined with the vibration of the vocal cords, influences the resonance and timbre of our voice.

Ways to improve the health of the vagus nerve: 
💫 Breathwork
💫 Humming
💫 Singing
💫 Yoga
💫 Meditation
💫 Mindfulness
💫 Practice Loving Kindness