For health and well-being, sing a song!

By Rabbi Barbara Aiello

That's Grant,” Lucy said, when her friend asked what she was hearing through her cellphone. “He’s whistling and singing the song we danced to on our wedding day!”

And at that moment, Grant sashayed into the kitchen, twirled Lucy in his arms and bellowed, “Wise men say, ‘Only fools rush in,’ but I can’t help falling in love with you!”

Lucy blushed and squeezed Grant’s hand. “Sixty-one years and you’re singing still makes me smile!”

Just what is it about singing? What is it about putting words to music and letting loose with a song? According to Alison Brill of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, “Singing is an aerobic activity, which pumps more oxygen into your blood, improves circulation and promotes a positive mood.”

And a plethora of health experts agree and emphasize that one need not be a trained professional or even have a good voice to reap the benefits of singing. As Ms. Brill says, “This isn’t ‘American Idol;’ this is life, and we have to find what makes us feel good!”

Singing is one way to lift our spirits. We don’t need musical instruments or amplification of special equipment of any kind. Like Grant, all we need is a song.

According to experts, when we find our melody and sing it out, the rewards are great. In fact, Dr. Michael F. Roizen, Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, emphasizes that there are five proven ways on how singing can supercharge your health.

1. Singing provides an immune system boost

In the age of COVID-19, maintaining a healthy immune system has become paramount. Dr. Roizen reports that when German scientists tested the blood levels of choir members before and after their one-hour rehearsal, the singers’ blood levels showed an increase in antibody-producing immunoglobulins and the anti-stress hormone, hydrocortisone.

2. Singing positively affects heart health

Want to improve your ticker? Dr. Roizen, who admits to singing along to the Jersey Boys while he drives to work, states that, for more than 80 years, the University of London has studied the benefits of singing. Experts there state that the aerobic activity produced by singing shows marked measurable increase in several key aspects of heart health.

3. Singing your heart out lowers blood pressure

Dr. Roizen sites a study of a pre-op patient with serious hypertension prior to knee replacement surgery. When the patient began to sing, her high blood pressure dropped almost to the normal range, and as she continued to sing her favorite gospel songs, her blood pressure stabilized in time for surgery.

4. Singing reduces stress and anxiety

Researchers in the UK studied two groups of seniors, 60 years and older, to study the effects of singing. One group was instructed to sing each week while the other group was not required to do so. The results? Dr. Rozien sings the praises of the researchers who found that “the singers demonstrated significantly reduced anxiety and depression scores.”

5. Singing makes you happier

If you find yourself smiling while you sing along with vintage Elvis or today’s Maroon 5, you’re not alone. Dr. Rozien emphasizes that singing makes you happier. Surveys bear this out. In fact, when 600 choral singers were asked how singing made them feel, 76% said “Singing makes me a happier person!”

Rabbi Shefa Gold, musician and expert in the chanting of Hebrew prayer, would agree. In her book, “The Magic of the Hebrew Chant,” Rabbi Gold describes the personal benefits of rhythmically reciting Hebrew prayer. She says, “A few short words — repeated with passion and intention — can unlock treasure upon treasure of healing, wisdom and love.”

The soothing rhythms of prayers, such as the Sh’ma, the Amidah and the Aleinu, are chants that we may have learned from childhood, and although we don’t know the meaning of each Hebrew word, we find comfort in the meditative quality of our ancient prayers and blessings.

Rabbi Gold puts it well when she says, “Chant is a meditative practice that fully engages the body, heart and mind, and facilitates healing and expansion of consciousness.”

Although the benefits of singing are well documented, we can’t be sure that, as Grant croons “I can’t help falling in love with you…” he’s aware of these advantages. But indeed, Grant has a song in his heart. In fact, we all do. So, for health and well-being, “Aleinu leshabeach la-Adon HaKol” or “Sing, Sing A Song!”

For 10 years, Rabbi Barbara Aiello served the Aviva Campus for Senior Life as resident rabbi. Her most popular columns are now published in her new book, “Aging Jewishly,” available on Amazon books. Rabbi Barbara now lives and works in Italy, where she is rabbi of Italy’s first Reconstructionist synagogue. Contact her at Rabbi@RabbiBarbara.com.