Singing for heart health: Amazing Grace” shows the best effects

Singing for heart health: Amazing Grace” shows the best effects

A recent study from the Medical College of Wisconsin found that singing for just ten minutes a day can have a potentially transformative effect on heart health. In particular, the chorale “Amazing Grace” from 1772 shows remarkable benefits that can potentially reduce the negative effects of heart disease.

Researchers examined the effects of singing on the blood vessels of older people suffering from heart disease. The results were consistently positive and show that certain songs can have varying degrees of impact on heart health. The group that sang “Amazing Grace” showed the most significant improvements compared to other songs.

Songs and their health effects

A total of 65 people took part in the study, mostly seniors in their 60s, many of whom had already suffered a heart attack or were being treated for heart problems. Under the guidance of a professional singing teacher, these participants sang their selected songs while the scientists measured blood flow, a crucial indicator of blood vessel health. It showed that 22 percent of participants who sang "Amazing Grace" experienced an improvement in blood flow. In contrast, only 10 percent of subjects who sang Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" showed a similar improvement.

Those who chose the Beatles' hit "Hey Jude" or Dolly Parton's "Jolene" also experienced positive effects on their blood flow, although these were not as pronounced as with "Amazing Grace." This reminds us of how differently music can affect our physical condition and how important the choice of song can be.

What is special about this study is the simple and accessible nature of singing. The researchers emphasize that this form of therapy could provide a safe alternative to traditional exercise for older people who are unable to perform more intense exercise for various health reasons. Singing could therefore offer a low-threshold opportunity to actively support heart and vascular health.

The needs of patients suffering from heart disease must be taken seriously, and this study may provide an opportunity to develop new therapeutic approaches. Singing as therapy could play an important role in supporting physical health in the future. The researchers plan to conduct further studies to examine singing over longer periods of time and also to analyze the effects of so-called “catchy tunes,” i.e. catchy melodies.

Given the results of this study, positive songs could not only represent a source of artistic expression, but also be considered a serious element in health care. The findings invite discussion and exploration of the interface between music, emotions and physical health.