A study conducted by the University of Frankfurt has revealed that singing protects the upper respiratory system from getting infected, and stimulates the production of antibodies. Singing also serves to demonstrate the health and well being of the person. As many as 31 amateur singers were studied before these conclusions were drawn.
'Singing is similar to meditation and walking in terms of its positive effects on health', said Gunter Kreutz, the leader of the study.'People who sing regularly can improve their breathing, increase their supply of oxygen, stimulate their circulation and get their bodies energized', said Professor Wolfram Seidner of the University Clinic Charite in Berlin.
The mental benefits of singing are just as important, Seidner said. In a society in which power, money and work are valued above almost anything else, many people's musical talents could waste away. Seidner said studies showed that men and women who were formerly involved in music were better team leaders in their careers.
Seidner said trained soloists used different nuances of their voice to relate certain emotional messages while speaking. Singers could employ this skill to their benefit in their ‘day to day’ lives.
The Munich-based speech therapist and author Eva Loschky considers the voice the most important means of expression.
'Anyone who doesn't have the full power of his voice at his command experiences a reduction in his personal expression and limitations in the quality of his life,' Loschky said.
Singing also keeps the voice young, which can be a benefit to women when they enter menopause, a time when a woman's voice loses some of its smoothness.
(DPA)
