10/29/2026
"Singing interventions have long been used across a diverse range of clinical and non-clinical populations, with evidence suggesting benefits for physical, psychological, and social well-being (Clift et al., 2010). In healthy adult cohorts, group singing has been found to support enhanced self-efficacy, self-identity and positive emotional health (Hendry et al., 2022). Benefits are even more pronounced in socially disadvantaged groups, with enhanced social connectedness, function and holistic well-being reported (Di**le et al., 2013). People with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease have enjoyed improved voice quality, respiratory function and enhanced quality of life via singing interventions (Stegemöller et al., 2017). In cognitive conditions, singing is reported to benefit verbal fluency, executive function, and episodic memory (Tragantzopoulou & Giannouli, 2025). Even in palliative care, singing has been found to increase self-expression, improve mood, and create a feeling of togetherness between individuals receiving palliative care and their family (Clements-Cortés, 2017).
Singing for people with respiratory conditions has possibly provided some of the most heartening research to date. In people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the increased work of breathing and altered respiratory mechanics can result in greater reliance on accessory muscles and impaired diaphragmatic function. This, in turn, may reduce respiratory efficiency and plays an important role in the worsening of COPD and the onset of respiratory failure, contributing significantly to mortality risk (Cao et al., 2022). In fact, Chukwu and colleagues (2025) suggest that voice training that optimizes diaphragmatic activation may promote more efficient activation and coordination of the diaphragm during respiration, contributing to improved breath control and respiratory function."
from "The Respiratory Benefits of Singing" by Róisín Cahalan, PhD, MISCP. First published in NCVS Insights, October 2026.
