MUSIC THERAPY

Since time immemorial, singing and dance have been a part of every culture.

Both embrace the artistic experience and physical exercise and so it is therefore not surprising that dance and music have long been regarded as contributing to good health.

Salutary effects of singing have been described in respect of different organ systems; especially in the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurologic and immune system.

In the respiratory system, singing improves muscle strength, mucosal immunity and patency of the sinuses. In COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients who sing for example, there is improvement in overall lung functions.

Singing has been reported to improve cardiovascular function, which is reflected, for example in better peripheral endothelial elasticity. The benefits of singing in patients with cardiovascular disease are attributed to autonomic nervous system regulation with parasympathetic predominance due to increased vagal nerve activity.

During singing, diaphragmatic work and increased intrathoracic pressure stimulate the vagal nerve, which results in autonomic nervous system regulation with parasympathetic predominance.

Increased air flow also improves the passage of phlegm in the airways and reinforces mucosal immunity. Singers have been reported to have better recovery from the COVID.

Singing makes up part of the complementary treatment in neurologic diseases, especially in Parkinson’s disease. Singing seems to have an impact on basal ganglia function. Training in mental singing while walking improves gait disturbances.

Singing leads to an improvement in vocalization, speech and intensity of voice. This has been demonstrated not only in patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, but also in those with quadriplegia and other neurologic impairments.

Regular singing is related to a positive increase in quality of life, good mood and psychosocial wellbeing. Also, increased levels of immunoglobulin A, oxytocin and endorphins have been reported in people who intensively practiced singing.

Another possible mechanism for how singing impacts the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis may be the stimulation of central nervous structures due to intracranial vibrations caused by produced tones. The same mechanism is considered to underly improvement of function of the thyroid gland and the intrathoracic lymphatic structures.

Singing seems also to modulate qualitative neurologic functions. One experiment has shown that singing enhances the “production effect”, which means that items read aloud are better memorized than if read silently. It has been found out that items being sung aloud revealed overall best recognition compared to those being read – either aloud or silently. 

Nowadays, singing is mainly used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and in the rehabilitation of chronic lung diseases. However, as singing causes effects similar to those of breathing techniques, both having an impact on the cardiorespiratory and neurohumoral system, it should be considered as an excellent adjunctive therapeutic tool in different medical conditions including psychiatric mood disorders.

Author of the review: Kristina Höschlová