The Benefits of Singing with COPD
The benefits of singing with COPD are available to everyone. If you don’t believe me, you never met my mom. She played the organ at our neighborhood church, and always loved having sing-alongs especially when the family was all there. The truth is that mama never really could carry a tune, but that didn’t stop her from singing with COPD. Mama sang bass, out of tune, and didn’t always know the words. However, her heart was in it and we always had so very much fun.
The benefits of singing with COPD
Stronger Lungs - Singing teaches you to regulate your breath. You might take a long deep breath and let it out slowly while singing the lyrics. In contrast, you may take short breaths between phrases. Either way, you are paying attention to the expansion of your lungs and pushing words out with your breath. It’s like a pursed mouth breathing exercise, with a little zest!
Improved Posture - When singing in a choir, I learned to sit up straight, on the front edge of our chair. We would take in deep breaths and sing the words either soft or loud. In addition to building lung, abdomen and back strength is increased.
Stress Relief - Mom sang songs from her youth back in the 40’s, so us kids knew the Bing Crosby tune about swinging on a star. Of course, his holiday songs were favorites too. Mom also loved Appalachian songs about a girl named Clementine.
Exercise - By sitting up straight and doing breath exercises with singing, it was a lot of work. With mom, the singing of movie hits that starred Elvis Presley was sure to get her up out of the chair and doing the twist.
Memory Aid - Remembering the lyrics to songs is not only fun, but a great way to keep mentally alert. When mama forgot a lyric, we always laughed together. She worked hard at remembering, and the next time I would visit, she would volunteer to sing for me to show off her lyrics skills.
Family Bond - If your family has never sung together before, consider the benefits, and give it a try. It’s easy to play a song on your phone or computer and invite others to sing along with you. Ask your friends or family what their favorites are. Get ready, because I made my mom learn a few Neil Diamond tunes in the 70s. Then, later that evening my daughter had her singing rap music by Vanilla Ice. Oh my Lord, she would try anything.
Stronger Immunity - When you have an elevated mood, and less anxiety, your immune system can get stronger. This leads to fewer infections and better overall health.
Better Sleep - Getting some exercise and relaxation combined with joy, and you’re ready for a good night's sleep.
Gosh, I miss her so much, that just writing about her makes my heart swell. This blog could have been a whole book about all the ways mom kept her heart light, and her body as strong as possible while living with lung disease.
Join the conversation