One of my jobs involves researching the effects of singing on health, so this month, we are looking at what happens to your health when you take the singing home. There have been a few articles and tv programs on the benefits of singing for neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s (memory related) and Parkinson’s (movement related). But did you know that singing also helps heart conditions, lung conditions and diabetes, too?
The NHS Core 20 PLUS 5 (Core20PLUS5: An Approach to Reducing Inequalities, 2021) plan aims to target the 5 key clinical areas of health inequality at most deprived 20% of the population (who do not conventionally access health care). These areas of health inequality include severe mental health, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, hypertension, and maternity care, where a number of early interventions and support are being offered. Interestingly, singing has been found to improve heart rate, blood pressure, pain and stress (Ribeiro et al., 2018) of mothers, and also improves the foetal movement, heart rate, auditory memory and mental health (Gebuza et al., 2018) of babies.
Many children attending nurseries will have family members with different health conditions, particularly as a result of COVID-19 – either having had the illness, or as an after effect of lockdown (Kerker et al., 2023). For example, anxiety and depression amongst women has increased because they have experienced more stress and strain from all of the environmental changes made by governments. These have directly impacted babies and young children though increased maternal cortisol levels, which affect growth, neurological development and even changing gut microbacteria.
Maternal mental health is known to impact the attachment of infants, leading to insecure attachment, which impacts their behaviour as they grow, and their future relationships as adults. When infants are unsure of what behaviour to expect from their parent, they can show signs of sleep disturbance, fussiness and impaired emotional regulation. At school, this can be seen in aggression and delayed language development. Children of depressed mothers have also been found to have higher rates of accidents, emergency department visits, and lower rates of immunisation and other medical appointment attendance.
With the earlier findings on the effects of maternal singing, groups have developed sessions incorporating singing and mindfulness. Research has showed that these groups have created a safe space for people to connect (Foulkes, 2021) as well as increase their self-confidence, feelings of relaxation and become more energised. These results could potentially have a powerful effect on struggling families.
Listening to music has powerful benefits and has been used effectively in many medical situations. However singing together with others appears to have a far greater effect (Lynch & Wilson, 2018), particularly on mindfulness – the ability to be aware of the present moment. We have included a few songs below that could be a great starting off point for families wanting to include more singing at home, where parents and children are able to confidently sing together.
Twinkle Twinkle
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are
This lovely, traditional song about stars feels like it is full of gentle hope and daydream, wondering about things we don’t yet understand, and appreciating their beauty.
Wind The Bobbin Up
Wind the bobbin up
Wind the bobbin up
Pull, pull, clap-clap-clap
Wind it back again
Wind it back again
Pull, pull, clap-clap-clap
Point to the ceiling
Point to the floor
Point to the window and
Point to the door
Clap your hands together
One, two, three
Put your hands
Upon your knees
Rolling hands over and over, then changing direction, and clapping, then pointing and clapping, this sing spells it all out. Following non-threatening instructions is a helpful mindfulness technique, helping us to live in and appreciate the present.
Wheels On The Bus
The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All day long
The wipers on the bus go swish-swish-swish
Swish-swish-swish, swish-swish-swish
The wipers on the bus go swish-swish-swish
All day long
The bell on the bus goes ding-ding-ding
Ding-ding-ding, ding-ding-ding
The bell on the bus goes ding-ding-ding
All day long
The driver on the bus says, “Tickets please,”
“Tickets please, tickets please,”
The driver on the bus says, “Tickets please,”
All day long
The doors on the bus go open-and-shut
Open-and-shut, open-and-shut
The doors on the bus go open-and-shut
All day long
The horn on the bus goes beep-beep-beep
Beep-beep-beep, beep-beep-beep
The horn on the bus goes beep-beep-beep
All day long
This has become a song about the types of people on the bus, but this version emphasises the parts on the bus, encouraging attention to detail – great for living in the moment.
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Baa baa black sheep
Have you any wool
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full
One for the master and one for the dame
One for the little boy that
Lives down the lane
These days we use this song to imitate sheep noises, and to develop counting – although originally it was a satirical song that adults sang, mocking the government’s tax policies!
Society has become increasingly more involved, with more and more to do and consider. It is almost certain that this will take a toll on our mental health, which eventually impacts our physical health. Earlier this week, I read an article on medieval peasants that only worked a 3-day week, with leisurely meals, and 25 weeks off a year, including 4-5 days off each month. They had a lot less freedom than we have today which may not make the time off worthwhile! But this is where the idea of mindfulness can help us to find a balance between learning from the past, living in our present and anticipating a hopeful future.
References:
Core20PLUS5: An Approach to Reducing Inequalities. (2021). NHS B0646.
Foulkes, E. (2021). An exploration into online singing and mindfulness during the COVID-19 pandemic for people with anxiety and/or depression. International Journal of Community Music, 14(2), 295–310. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijcm_00049_1
Gebuza, G., Zaleska, M., Kažmierczak, M., Mieczkowska, E., & Gierszewska, M. (2018). The effect of music on the cardiac activity of a fetus in a cardiotocographic examination. Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 27(5), 615–621. https://doi.org/doi: 10.17219/acem/68693
Kerker, B. D., Willheim, E., & Weis, J. R. (2023). The COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Maternal Mental Health and Early Childhood Development. American Journal of Health Promotion, 37(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171221140641b
Lynch, J., & Wilson, C. E. (2018). Exploring the impact of choral singing on mindfulness. Psychology of Music, 46(6), 848–861. https://doi.org/DhOttIp:s1:/0/d.o1i.1o7rg7/1/0.1310757/7030567315767172792494552
Ribeiro, M. K. A., Alcantara-Silva, T. R. M., Oliveira, J. C. M., Paula, T. C., Dutra, J. B. R., Pedrino, G. R., Simões, K., Sousa, R. B., & Rebelo, A. C. S. (2018). Music therapy intervention in cardiac autonomic modulation, anxiety, and depression in mothers of preterms: Randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychol, 6(1), 57. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-018-0271-y
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