Researchers study impact of singing on wellbeing

People took part in the Sing For Happiness project in the run up to Christmas

More than 300 people have taken part in an experiment to discover if singing can improve mental health and wellbeing.

Researchers invited people to take part in Sing for Happiness which saw participants take part in choir sessions where data on mood was collected, culminating in a festive performance.

The study, run by St George's music venue in Bristol and the University of the West of England (UWE) in the run up to Christmas aimed to build on the findings of a similar project in the summer.

John Neugebauer said he had a "joyful" experience by taking part and created "instant bonds" with fellow singers.

Researchers want to find out if singing can improve wellbeing

"If anyone is considering singing in a choir and had no training just go for it you'll really benefit from it, you'll get a feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself - such joy," he added.

"You get a great rush of endorphins when you're singing. When words don't do certain feelings justice you can sing."

John Neugebauer (L) and Jon Munday enjoyed taking part in the sessions

Jon Munday said he was inspired to take part after his friend joined the project in the summer.

"I've had no singing experience in a choir so it can be quite daunting at first when you worry about not being able to hit certain notes, but once you put that aside and have that shared experience you feel the difference straight away," he said.

"I feel much more energised, much more grounded.

"Everything goes out of the window when you start singing."

Many of the participants had little or no singing experience

Data was submitted by 361 participants who took part in the summer event, including mood surveys and wellbeing questionnaires completed before and after the sessions.

The research found the mood of participants immediately improved by singing together and they felt calmer, more energised and happier.

Kat Branch said she is interested to find out if singing could improve people's mood during what can be a "draining" time of year

UWE researcher Kat Branch said the main focus of the experiment during the festive period was about measuring improvements in mood and energy levels.

"Christmas and December is a very draining time and if you've suffered any loss or challenge Christmas can also amplify that," she said.

"I have observed people saying they feel more connected to each other, like they're helping and holding each other up - a sense of kinship and community, I think that's interesting."

Samir Savant said it had been "magical" to watch people singing together

St George's chief executive Samir Savant said it had been "magical" to see everyone coming together to sing.

"I'm always amazed because so many people tell me they haven't sung since they were a child and they're here doing four part harmonies," he said.

Researchers plan to carry out another study with a new group between spring and summer 2025.