4 Reasons Why Singing is Good for the Brain (at Any Age)

Author: Jonathan Clark (USA) writes about singing and how it transforms us.

 

When people are diagnosed with dementia, their caregivers often insist on lots of peace and quiet. After all, it seems easier, quieter, safer. But it’s time we rethink this. There’s growing evidence that singing is beneficial to the brain, and that’s important for people with dementia. And just as importantly? It’s so good for the soul to sing together!

1. Process More Information

When scientists study singing and the brain, something that keeps coming up is its ability to increase the amount of information processed by the brain at any given time. 

Singing together with others presents a lot of wonderful stimuli for the brain to handle at once, like:

• lyrics
• melody
• other people’s voices
• place in the song

This high level of information processing can help keep the brain sharp and potentially slow down the progression of dementia. 

2. Reduce the Feeling of Brain Fog

Part of the benefit that singing with others brings us is a feeling of happiness. That boost to mental health goes a long way in making our lives fuller. And scientists have actually looked into why singing together does this. It’s because singing releases, among other things, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin. 

That powerful cocktail of feel-good chemicals rushes through us as we join in song, building relationships and community. Those moments with the people we love continue to add to the experience.

Feeling connected and having high levels of dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin can all help fight brain fog — the symptom best described as feeling “blah.” It’s also a symptom highly associated with dementia.

3. Singing Builds Up Our Verbal Skills

Singing and talking aren’t the exact same thing — but they require many of the same brain regions to function. That makes a lot of sense once you think about the lyrics and intonation required to sing a song.

Researchers have studied the effect singing had on the brains of older adults, and they found that singing led to major boosts to verbal flexibility.

The study started with people taking a test, listing out all the words they could that started with the letter S within 60 seconds. But after they sang in choirs for a period of time, they could list more words.

When we sing together, our brains build their ability to come up with words. How this works exactly is still a bit of a mystery — but the effect is exciting.

4. Protecting Our Brains

A major misconception about dementia is that once people get it, there’s no more you can do. That’s just not true. You can still protect the brain and give it stimuli that create wonder and joy. Singing does exactly that.

When researchers recently scanned the brains of highly trained vocalists, they discovered that many parts of their brains had much more connectivity than the average person. Something about all that singing had protected their brains long-term.

Singing and Dementia

Caring for someone with dementia doesn’t have to be a quiet, solemn affair. If it is, chances are you could use a little music in your life. So why not join together and start singing? It will feel good, build the bond you share, and help everybody’s brain work a little better.

Interested in learning more? Join our community today! We are working to transform the way we care for people living with dementia.

Author:

Jonathan Clark is a writer working in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. His work can be found on several topics around the internet and in print. One of his passions is exploring accessible, science-backed methods to improve cognitive function and foster meaningful connections, especially for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.