I have always loved to sing. I have always found it refreshing to my soul, and always chalked it up to a personal enjoyment nothing more.
I shouldn’t be surprised, however, that God created singing for so much more. As I have continued to dig into the how the body works, I am continually overwhelmed with the complexity and detail God has put within in us. I continue to find new intricacies, and most recently about singing.
When I’m struggling with an issue, feeling down, or needing some kind of pick me up, singing has always done the trick. I will crank up the tunes in the car and sing as loud as I want. I will jump on the elliptical and plug headphones into my phone to sing it out. Why does this work?
The Psalms are filled with singing to God. If it is pleasing to God, it makes sense that we would feel our spirit lift when singing just as these scriptures highlight.
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. ... (Psalm 96 NIV).
Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16 NIV).
But, there is more, so much more. We are physically designed to benefit from singing. Time Magazine (2013) brought to light much of the research around this. Here are some highlights. There is far more than what is highlighted here. I encourage you to dig deeper.
- It increases your happy hormones (endorphins, oxytocin) lessening feelings of depression and anxiety.
- It lowers cortisol. The stress hormone. Again, helping us feel better.
- It lengthens our lifespan. Those who sing regularly, an hour a day, can add up to 8 years to their life.
This is awesome news. I love when scripture and science come together. It makes sense that something that God loves would be life-giving to us, as well. It seems I need to make singing more of a practice than just on Sunday mornings and when I’m feeling blah. It is nourishment for our bodies and pleasing to God.
Dig deeper or just start singing, the choice is yours. An ear pleasing voice is not required to reap the benefits, so join the chorus.
How has singing improved y our life? Share your experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.