Image Up Advertising & Design

8 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | OCTOBER 2025 By Karen Range, Resident I love to sing. I sing at home, I sing in the car, and when the opportunity arises, I sing in public. Maybe you enjoy singing too, but did you realize that while you are adding your voice to the cosmos, that you are reaping health benefits? Karen Carpenter was on to something when she encouraged us all to "sing, sing a song" because singing offers significant mental, physical, and social benefits. Here are just some of the benefits of singing. Mental Benefits: Singing can positively affect memory, cognitive function, and overall well-being. Singing actively stimulates many areas of the brain simultaneously, activating frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. When these areas of the brain are stimulated, 'feel-good' chemicals like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine are released that improve mood. People who sing regularly oen have a better memory and can concentrate more easily, as singing is a complex process that activates both the le and right hemispheres of the brain when music and lyrics are memorized together. Singing can even benefit people with dementia. Studies have shown that people with dementia can benefit from singing by remembering lyrics that helps them recall memories attached to those songs. Physical Benefits: Singing requires controlled breathing, which can significantly enhance respiratory function. When we sing, we engage our diaphragm and intercostal muscles, leading to better lung capacity and oxygen circulation throughout the body. Singing helps strengthen the muscles involved in breathing and promotes overall lung health. Singing can help improve cardiovascular health by increasing blood flow throughout the body. Singing can also reduce stress levels, and it is well-established that chronic stress negatively impacts the heart. Due to the physiological responses that singing triggers, it is considered to be a form of aerobic activity, comparable to walking at a brisk pace. Social Benefits: Singing can help us to feel connected to all of humanity. Singing songs that originated from other cultures can give us a new appreciation for those cultures and help us empathize with others. And although there are many benefits to singing alone, singing with a group can be even more beneficial. e results from one study showed that people who participate in choral or group singing report a higher rate of social well-being than solo singers. Studies have also shown that group singing leads people to bond with others, a habit that helps people broaden their social networks. e social benefits of singing include increased self-confidence, increased self-esteem, social skill development, and feelings of social inclusion. Whether we sing solo in the shower, sing professionally, or sing in a group, the combined mental, physical, and social benefits of singing make it one of the most positive forms of human activity. So "sing, sing a song!" Sing a Song!

• Cover