Community singing groups 'reduce anxiety and depression'

Singing in groups can make you happier and reduce anxiety and depression, according to a new study.

The research by the University of East Anglia (UEA) in collaboration with the group Sing Your Heart Out has revealed that people who took part in a community singing group maintained or improved their mental health.

The combination of singing and socialising was found to be an essential part of recovery because it promoted an ongoing feeling of belonging and wellbeing.

Lead researcher Prof Tom Shakespeare from UEA’s Norwich Medical School said: “We found that singing as part of a group contributes to people’s recovery from mental health problems.

“The main way that Sing Your Heart Out differs from a choir is that anyone can join in regardless of ability. There’s also very little pressure because the participants are not rehearsing towards a performance. It’s very inclusive and it’s just for fun.”

The format is also different to a therapy group because there’s no pressure on anyone to discuss their condition.

“We heard the participants calling the initiative a ‘life saver’ and that it ‘saved their sanity’. Others said they simply wouldn’t be here without it, they wouldn’t have managed – so we quickly began to see the massive impact it was having.

“All of the participants we spoke to reported positive effects on their mental health as a direct result of taking part in the singing workshops,” he added.

Sing Your Heart Out runs weekly singing workshops aimed at people with mental health conditions as well as the general public. The initiative originally began at Hellesdon psychiatric hospital in 2005, but afterwards moved into the community. Around 120 people now attend four free workshops each week across Norfolk – two thirds of whom have had contact with mental health services.

The research project run by Prof Shakespeare and his researcher Dr Alice Whieldon followed the group for six months and undertook interviews and focus groups with participants, organisers and workshop leaders.

Taking part in the group on a weekly basis gave people structure, support and contact that helped them improve their mood, feel good, and function better in day-to-day life, researchers found.

“The Sing Your Heart Out model offers a low-commitment, low-cost tool for mental health recovery within the community,” added Prof Shakespeare.

‘Sing Your Heart Out: community singing as part of mental health recovery’ is published in the journal Medical Humanities.