Singing Mamas with Emily

05/11/2023

I've joined forces with Singing Mamas Tonbridge to bring more feel-good singing groups to Tonbridge! We sing for wellbeing, fun and friendship 🧡

We've got Singing Mamas groups for women running on Mondays and Fridays, plus a special singing and crafting event for all the family to enjoy (Dads included!) on the last Sunday of every month 🥰

Follow us over on the Singing Mamas Tonbridge page to find out more 🌟 Or over on Instagram

16/09/2023

More amazing science 🎉🎶 this week we’re exploring why singing feels so good…

Have you ever got a real feel-good buzz from singing?

Whether that was secret singing alone in the shower, being part of a crowd at a festival, as a member of a choir during a performance or even at a football match chanting along with everyone in the stand – it’s hard to deny the amazing endorphin-rush that singing offers.

So what’s going on in our bodies that makes resonating our vocal chords to a tune feel so different to when we are just speaking?

🧡 HAPPY HORMONES 🧡

Singing releases endorphins (the happy hormone) and oxytocin (the love hormone), which creates a feeling of pleasure. Singing is also proven to lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone).

The combination of all of this acts as a natural antidepressant, relieving anxiety.

For example, a randomised control study of 134 women with symptoms of postnatal depression, were split into three groups. They took part in a 10 week course of either singing, creative play with no music or ‘care as usual’ (ie talking therapies etc).

At the end of the study, those women who took part in singing had significantly faster improvement in their symptoms than the other groups.

🧡 THE VAGUS NERVE 🧡

The vagus nerve is activated when you sing. It is a main component of our body’s parasympathetic nervous system, controlling the things your body does without conscious input.

“The parasympathetic system controls our homeostasis; it keeps us the right temperature, our heart and breath going at the right rate. It probably also helps with sleep. What we’re talking about is entering a state of focus – focussing on the singing rather than all the other things going on. And that focussing causes a state of relaxation.” (Dr Becca Hall)

🧡 SUPPORTING BREATH 🧡

Our posture and breathwork when we sing also plays a role in doing good things for our bodies. Singers are encouraged to support their diaphragms with good posture and take deep breaths from low in the abdomen. An open, positive posture and strong, slow breaths encourage relaxation – similar to in a yoga class or meditation.

In fact, if you’re singing in a group and taking breaths at the same time, you could also be synchronising heartbeats.

🧡 BUILDING COMMUNITY 🧡

“When people engage with each other musically they feel more connected. It has a social bonding function.” (Dr Ian Cross)

The chance to build community and have a feeling of belonging is a major boon for group singing. It encourages trust and bonding as you work together to achieve something that feels magical. You feel each other’s energy ricocheted around the room, like infectious laughter. You’re also listening to each other to sing harmoniously – everyone’s voice is important.

Many choirs have a social side attached to them. You might have made lifelong friendships or even romantic relationships through being part of a choir (that was certainly the case for my parents!).

The point is that singing together builds connections.

Interestingly, studies have found that when people get on, their speech actually becomes more musically synchronised…

“In a study, when participants got on well, their speech patterns were more rhythmical and in tune with each other. When they didn’t get on, they were more out of tune and did not form a musical interval. Harmony goes far beyond musical form.” (Matthew Syde)

🧡 RESOURCES & MORE INFO... 🧡

Dr Becca Hall is a GP
Ian Cross is Emeritus Professor of Music and Science at the University of Cambridge
Matthew Syde is presenter of BBC podcast Sideways

PODCASTS & ARTICLES
Sideways BBC podcast hosted by Matthew Syde; Ep. 24: Sweet Harmony
Scotland Singing for Health Network Podcast; Season 2, Ep 2: Singing for postnatal wellbeing
The Somerset Emotional Wellbeing Podcast; Singing for Health
londonsinginginstitute.co.uk/what-happens-when-we-sing

12/09/2023

🚨A little update from Singing Mamas Sevenoaks…

When I launched the group in May this year I did so to offer something back to the community – singing for wellbeing is something I’ve found wonderfully beneficial for my mental health and journey through motherhood.

So when I discovered there’s another singing group for mums also running in Sevenoaks on Friday mornings, it didn’t sit right with me to clash with something that’s bringing a similar offering to the community... After reaching out to this other group, I’ve decided to move Singing Mamas Sevenoaks away from Friday mornings.

But this isn’t the end of Singing Mamas Sevenoaks! Even though my hands are a bit tied with when I can run a group (as I work another job Monday-Thursday), I’ve decided to move towards running weekend ‘Come & Sing’ pop ups several times a month instead of a weekly group.

I’m still in discussion about whether that will be in the woodland or not… more info soon, so watch this space!

Thank you to everyone that has come along to a Singing Mamas session with me – it fills my heart with so much joy singing with you all! Looking forward to the next stage of this adventure. Will update you with singing plans as soon as possible!

Big love, Emily 💕🎶

10/09/2023

Why we do what we do - singing is healing 🧡

07/09/2023

Just a reminder that there’s no Singing Mamas Sevenoaks tomorrow 🧡

07/09/2023

Check out the fascinating science behind singing in this series I’m putting together for Singing Mamas Org 🧠🔬🎶

When a song comes on the radio that you haven’t heard in years, it’s amazing how all the lyrics flow back to you seamlessly without even thinking about it.

We can store so many songs in our brains (and we recommend Heardle to put your memory to the test!).

But why can I remember all these songs from way back when, but not where I put my keys five mins ago?

Here’s the science bit...

🧡 EMOTIONAL RESPONSE 🧡

“Music is inherently bound up with personal identity; music can trigger the reminiscence bump in autobiographical memory.” (Dr Kelly Jakubowski)

Does listening to a specific song take you back to a certain moment? Perhaps it was on an album your parents always played in the car or your favourite CD in your Walkman when you travelled to school?

“Emotional stimuli are remembered better than non-emotional ones.” (Fiona Kumfor)

If a song was played over and over again, then repetition has a role in why you remember it so well. But perhaps more interestingly, so does your emotional response. Songs that were played or sung at a time of happiness or even a period of change in your life will take you back to that feeling.

“Orientating yourself towards the emotional message actually helps you remember the actual music better.” (Dr Andrea Halpern)

🧡 A LEARNING TOOL 🧡

Music can be used as a mnemonic device, ie to aid memory. That’s why teaching children the alphabet is a lot easier when done to a song.

“Singing the lyrics to a very well-known song is a form of procedural memory – ie a highly automatised process, like riding a bike: it’s something we are able to do without thinking much about it.” (Dr Kelly Jakubowski)

“The features of music serve as a predictable ‘scaffold’ for memory. Rhythm and beats give us clues to the next word in a sequence, ie signalling that a three-syllable word fits next. Songs also make use of literary devices like rhyme and alliteration, which further facilitate memory.” (Dr Kelly Jakubowski)

So singing about where I’m putting my keys down when I’m doing it is a genuinely helpful idea...

🧡 MUSIC & DEMENTIA 🧡

Singing has been found to improve memory retention, so it can be used to help support people living with various neurodegenerative disorders.

“When we sing we get more blood flow to precortical areas, which are areas usually preserved in dementia, concerned with autobiography and emotions. Sometimes a song does something really strong and visceral, and that feeling is really important - it awakens people with dementia and makes them feel more involved.” (Dr Simon Opher)

Singing is proven to be so valuable for people with memory-related conditions that music therapy is available for care homes, there are charities that support dementia with music, such as Mindsong, and there are specific singing groups, such as the Alzheimer’s Society’s Singing for the Brain.

“My favourite memory of singing is that of a man in the later stages of dementia who was played Edelweiss. He started singing the tune but to the words ‘I belong, I belong’.” (Maggie Grady)

🧡 RESOURCES & MORE INFO… 🧡

Dr Kelly Jakubowski is Associate Professor in Music Psychology, Durham University

Dr Andrea Halpern is Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University

Fiona Kumfor is Research Officer, Neuroscience Research Australia

Dr Simon Opher is a Family Doctor & Clinical Lead for Social Prescribing

Maggie Grady is Director of Music Therapy at Mindsong

Can singing improve our health? BBC CrowdScience podcast, 2019

theconversation.com/the-science-of-why-you-can-remember-song-lyrics-from-years-ago-204167

londonsinginginstitute.co.uk/what-happens-when-we-sing

time.com/6167197/psychology-behind-remembering-music

21/08/2023

We’re proud to be a Non-Profit 🧡

Did you know that Singing Mamas is a Non-Profit organisation?

In celebration of National Non-Profit Day (which was last week) here’s why & how we’re non-profit 🧡

1. We’re not in this for profit. We’re non-profit and work in a similar way to a charity, as a service that benefits women’s wellbeing.

2. We’re a CIC organisation. CIC stands for Community Interest Company - which means we have social goals that help the community.

3. We partner with the NHS. As well as our local groups, we also work to train health professionals to offer singing ‘on prescription’ to pregnant women and new mothers. And that’s because…

4. Singing is a natural anti-depressant. Singing is clinically proven to reduce symptoms of post-natal depression faster than the usual forms of treatment.

5. We want all women to have access to singing. Our goal is for singing to be available to all women, to boost their wellbeing and social connections.

18/08/2023

Due to the risk of thunderstorms, this morning’s Singing Mamas will be inside at a different address - if you’re planning a last min booking, message me first 🧡

13/08/2023

A little ditty about forgetting the words…

10/08/2023

There’s still time to book to join us at Forest Singing Mamas tomorrow 💕

🎶 No singing experience necessary - we learn songs by ear & layer beautiful harmonies
🌲Peaceful woodland setting
💕Just £5 for singing, tea & cake
🌼 PLUS Forest school facilities for little ones, including a mud kitchen

DM me or book here: https://www.happity.co.uk/schedules/singing-mamas-choir-sevenoaks-little-elses-forest-singing-mamas-sevenoaks #

Learn & sing beautiful songs in a woodland setting