Flaviu Costin on Unsplash
This week’s good news story comes just in time for the holidays from The Good News Network.
Singing with Other People Improves Health More Than Singing Alone
Singing has been linked to numerous benefits for health, well-being, disease resistance, and recovery from injury. Still, when singing in a group, these benefits are greater than those of solo singers.
The research, though not new, still makes for a pretty darn good reason to join a caroling group or church choir for the holidays, or to take New Year’s Eve as an opportunity for some karaoke.
In this era of research into health and wellbeing, with more information available than ever, and expert voices contradicting recommendations at every turn—even those long thought to be made up of ‘settled science,’ it pays to set down some first principles.
Here’s one that serves as an effective guiding light in almost all situations: human health is the most resilient when existing in accord with our species’ evolutionary history.
Homo sapiens is a social animal, with virtually every facet of his lifestyle dependent in nature on his fellow man. Given that social isolation is deadly to our species, it probably shouldn’t be a surprise that harmonizing our voices together makes us feel better than belting out a song on our own.
Some scientists believe humans actually sang before we could speak: that we gradually expanded our capacity for vocalizations by mimicking the tones of nature.
Singing activates the vagus nerve, which modulates our body’s ability to calm itself. The activation is done through long and slow expirations and inhalations needed to sing whole verses and long notes, which doubles up with a thorough activation of numerous neural pathways on both sides of the brain, and a release of feel-good endorphins.
David Cox, exploring this topic for the BBC, wrote that singing also produces other measurable physical effects, including regulation of the heart rate and blood pressure. Singing in groups or choirs, Cox says, has even been found to boost \immune function in ways that simply listening to the same music cannot.
Some of this might be explained by the demands singing puts on the pulmonary system, which has been calculated to be as demanding as a brisk intensity walk. With cardiovascular exertion, there is health and greater physiological alignment, including in the immune system.
However, science has also shown that complete strangers can forge unusually close bonds after singing together in a way not seen in team sports, for example. This is called the ice-breaker effect, and very much captures the fact that singing can reveal the interior character of a person more than chit-chat can.
“I can’t speak for all the cultures of the world, but in the West, singing seems very much an extension of speech,” said GNN’s managing editor Andy Corbley, who was trained as a singer and worked as a children’s vocal coach before entering journalism.
“In my work, I found the children who were most eager to tell me about their life outside of classes were also the ones who projected their voice the most in the studio. I had one student who was a selective mute, and who wouldn’t speak with me—couldn’t even say hello—but after 90 minutes of coaching, was able to sing the words she ordinarily wouldn’t speak.”
“To my mind, it shows how singing begins with trust: trust in yourself that your words have value and power, and trust that those around you will listen to those words. That’s a very powerful, sort of, social contract.”
The good news about this story is it is good for the health to sing with others instead of avoiding them. Today’s JohnKu talks about getting together. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Together by John W. Howell © 2025
The science shows it,
One case of good assembly . . .
Singing with humans
Fiction Favorites 
Absolutely on board with this John… Singing in harmony with others can only be good for you… aligning ourselves with others produces that feel good factor we all need in our lives.. Thanks for sharing.. hugsx
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It does give a sense of belonging. I think you and William contribute to that feeling. 😀
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Thanks John ♥
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😊
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I follow Malcolm in eastern England (malcolmsmusings.org) who sings with a community group who get together regularly. What a blessing!
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Do you sing along?
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Let’s knock it out in full voice and in good company!
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Ah onea, ah twoa.
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But what if you’re like me – and no BODY wants to sing with me? lol
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Look up. I think you and Charles would make a good pair. 😀
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Interesting. Does it matter if your singing voice is equivalent to screws in a blender?
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Just gotta find a few others who sound like a machine shop. 🤣
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This is so interesting.
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🎶 Sweet Caroline. Da da da. 🎶
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I enjoyed your article about the benefits of singing with other. Singing is so much fun, especially in good company.
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Yes, it is. Thanks, Kymber.
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What great news to start my day!
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Did you find someone to sing with this morning?
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I didn’t, actually (although I should have).
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😊
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I have to agree. I just realized that I sing a lot on church on Sunday – everyone does- and I feel good afterward!
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That is one of the benefits of going to church. Thanks for sharing, Noelle. 😊
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Among several!
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Ha ha ha😀
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I agree as well. I love to sing, but it’s been a really long time since I last sang in a choir.
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😀🎶
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My mother loved singer in her choir – it brough her so much joy to be with others. For me, I’m tone deaf so I don’t inflict that on anyone! Thanks for the happy news story, John.
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Need to find folks who have the same deafness,
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😂😂
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😊
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Yes, singing is good for the lungs, as well as the heart and soul.
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I agree Tim. Let’s all sing more. 😀
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This really is interesting, John. A great post.
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I thought so too, Robbie. Thanks. 😄
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Wonderful story, John, and thank you for sharing it. I’ve long been a proponent (as you know!) of music, and it just stands to reason that making music with others is good for one’s health. Nice that science is confirming that!
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It really is nice. Maybe more will do it. Thanks, Debbie
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A very intriguing blog post.
Unfortunately, even though I love to sing, I can’t always stay in tune. (There may be many more people in the same boat!)
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Seems like a lot can’t stay in tune. All out of tune together is a beautiful thing. Thanks, Robby’s
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A very nice thought, thank you!
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Sorry about the misspelling of your name. Autocorrect took over when I wasn’t looking, Robbye. A dictionary add solved that problem
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No problem, John, it’s actually what I use for the blog. My first name is really Robbie. Thanks for the kind apology!
(Autocorrect is a minor bane of my existence-I get all kinds of strange corrections!)
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Robbie, it is.
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Hmm… that’s an intriguing concept. Based on personal experience, I’m not sure I agree. Although I do believe that singing whether in groups or alone is hugely beneficial. Hugs.
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The doorbell interrupted me a moment ago… and now WP has kicked me out just before posting my clarification… Anyhow, I meant disagreeing specifically about groups vs alone. The Karaoke therapy I created for myself is healing and helpful in ways that singing with a group could never be. Regardless, it’s a great article, John. Good food for thought. Thanks for sharing it.
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Thanks for your comment, Teagan. I can see where your personal program would work best for you. 😀
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🤗
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Harmony is a wonderful thing whether in a community, a musical group, or even a political group. We don’t all have to sing the same note, but we can blend our voices to create a richer, more vibrant sound. I shared a brief magical moment of harmony when the Ministers of Gospel came to our church to do a petformance. At the end the entire group walked around the congregation singing and shaking hands. I made eye contact with one of the ladies, sang harmony with her as she passed. She paused briefly, grasped my hand and smiled at me. We both shared a moment of perfect harmony despite not knowing each other.
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That is the kind of thing that happens when people get together fro a song. Thanks for sharing, Pat.
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Very welcome, John. It was a special moment to share with a stranger and I am glad that it was one of the times when my voice cooperated and sang harmony beautifully. (It is a skill that I have sporadically rather than reliably.)
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😊
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Wonderful story and cheers to singing and the gifts that come with it John! ❤️❤️❤️
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Thank you, Cindy
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You’re so welcome, John!
❤️
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😊
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This makes perfect sense to me. I used to sing in a choir, and the camaraderie made it all the more special.
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A great testimonial, Pete. Thanks.
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I did not know this about singing but considering our need for socialization and the benefits of singing to the pulmonary and cardiovascular system I guess I should not be surprised. But I wonder if singing is still healthy if the guy next to you in the choir sings really badly off tune. I’ve been in that situation and it makes singing very stressful.
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Not pleasant. In my college days, our fraternity would be involved in serenades. I was always asked to “mouth ” the words and not make noise. I guess that is one solution.
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That is a little bit mean. I was singing next to a guy who was singing extremely off tune but no one asked him to mouth the words. It may make it a bit harder, but you deal with it, unless you are in a professional choir it is supposed to be fun.
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I guess hurting my feelings was low on the priority list.
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Funny, but every time I’ve tried singing with other people, they all ran off into the distance shrieking and holding their ears … 🤷 Bit seriously, after thinking about it for a bit, this makes a lot of sense. Humans ARE social animals and we thrive on companionship. Music is the thing that can bring more joy than almost anything. So, it only makes sense that sharing music, singing or playing instruments together, would bring joy. Perhaps I’ll give it a try again! Thanks John … good post!
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Thank you, Jill. You do feature music on your blog, so maybe you should sing along with your featured guests.
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Hmmmm … there’s a thought! I’d have to do it when the girls are out and the kitties are upstairs asleep, though! 🤣
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The kitties wouldn’t stay asleep long, I’ll bet.😀
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Maybe not! If I sing even a bar or two while Oliver is awake, he looks at me with pain in his eyes and meows ’til I stop singing!
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He probably thinks you are hurting. 🤣
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So happy to hear this, thanks. We have a holiday singalong at our house this afternoon!
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How fun Rebecca.
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It was! A dozen classics with my friend on the piano.
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Sounds like a lovely time.
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[…] Head over to read this interesting post: John Howell and more Good News […]
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Thank you, Sally. 😀
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What a beautiful post for this time of year, John (any time of year). When I worked in grief counseling, we said the same of tears. A different context, but the same idea. A sense of community is healing and healthy. Thanks for sharing this.
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I can understand the tear connection for sure. Thanks, Diana.
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🙂
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There may be benefits, but I don’t sing unless there’s no one else around – except Bond, and he would probably prefer I didn’t, lol.
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You have a lot of company.
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I do like singing in groups, been a while.
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It is fun.We all should do more of group singing.
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Sounds reasonable…unless you can’t carry a tune in bag. 😉
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That would be me. 😀
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Sadly, me too. Can’t do karaoke to save my soul…and everyone’s ears.
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I can do Johnny Cash for some reason, but that’s it.
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I can attest to this! Singing in a group does wonders. I see this with children, and I see this with fellow teachers. Whenever we sing as a group, children or adults, everyone leaves feeling good, different, uplifted.
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I agree. You are so fortunate to be able to do it frequently.
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I am, John. Thank you.
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😊
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Happy 2026!! ❤️
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Happy 2026 to you.
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This post speak to where I am right now. Keep sharing!
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Thank you.
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