A recent study found that a staggering 81% people who have a desk job spend between four and nine hours a day sitting down. 64% of people felt that this wasn’t good for their health. Having this daily sedentary lifestyle certainly isn’t good for overall fitness levels and makes you more prone to putting on weight. The good news is that regular singing can help your physical wellbeing and get you fitter.
The cardiovascular benefits of singing
A study that was published in the American Journal of Nursing followed a group of 20 professional singers that were between the ages of 28 and 65. The control group, were all non-singers, under the age of 40. The study found that the singers all had a far stronger chest wall and their hearts were more efficient at pumping the blood around the body. This didn’t decline with age either - the 65 year olds had equally good cardiovascular function, even though this is something that normally declines as you get older.
The respiratory benefits of singing
A study done in 2006 focused on the respiratory system of four singers. The researchers took measurements over the course of a year regarding the the different body zones and specific muscle groups that are involved in singing. They found that the respiratory system is highly respondent to singing training, even over a short period of time. The lung volume and capacity for rib cage expansion increased over this time, helping the singers to breathe better and take deeper breaths of air when needed.
Singing for weight management
If you are sitting down all day you are burning less calories, so need to be more careful with what you eat. Singing can help with this though. In the same way that it does for runners, prolonged lung function increases the production of a hormone that makes the body more resistant to Leptin. Leptin, which is produced in the fat cells results in increased fat storage. Having a resistance to Leptin means that the body stores less fat and as a result is less prone to weight gain. Spending time regularly singing literally helps to switch on this fat-burning hormone.
So what can I do?
When you are sitting at a desk all day you are prone to, your health is at risk. Especially if you then go home from work and spend all evening sitting on the sofa. Your body is more likely to store fat and you are more likely to get ill. So instead of going home and watching television, or spending time on your phone, go and join your local choir. Most towns and villages in Britain have a least one group. Not only can it help increase your overall fitness levels, but you will also get to meet new people. You don’t have to have any experience of singing, you just need to be willing to join in. Another great idea is forming your own workplace choir at lunchtime - then the whole office can benefit. Even with printed word sheets and backing tracks, you can all get together for an informal sing-song once a week.
Singing really can boost your physical health, which is especially important if you are sitting at a desk all day. Never is there a better reason to get out there and join a choir.
