This week a little piece of research crossed my inbox which
I found fascinating, and worth sharing.
Researchers of the Sahlgrenska
Academy at the University
of Gothenburg in Sweden
used pulse monitors to study the heart rates of high school choir members as
they joined their voices. Their findings - published in Frontiers in Neuroscience - confirm that choir
music has calming effects on the heart — especially when sung in unison.
As the choir began to sing, their heart rates slowed. But what was more exciting was that they
found the singers heart rates became synchronised – they fell into a shared rhythm,
guided by the song’s tempo. This suggests greater implications for the shared
musical experience and communal spirituality.
If you haven’t experienced singing in a group, maybe it’s
time you overcome your inertia – or fears – and do it!
If you’re already singing in a group – why not bring a
friend along and share the joy and the experience with them too? They’ll thank you for it.
