Music for wellbeing: We can use music and our voice to improve our health
Have you ever considered that listening to or singing along to your favourite music might also be boosting your long-term health and ability to make better choices? No doubt you have at some time put on a soothing track to calm an anxious mind, sung along to a pop anthem in the car in a moment of joy, or even danced to some more lively beats to release some frustration and anger. Using music and the voice can have positive effects on the body’s physiology, supporting better regulation and balance and thus support our emotional health. And the more we do it the more our body gets used to being in a regulated state, building adaptability and resilience.
The Polyvgal theory perspective
As infants we use our voice to communicate our needs, initially non-verbally, before we can talk. Significantly, at birth the human nervous system needs a caregiver to survive so it signals to the caregiver via the muscles of the face and head. This involves five cranial nerves: trigeminal (V), facial (VII), glossopharyngeal (XI), vagus (X), accessory (XI), which make up what is termed the social engagement system. The social engagement system and these cranial nerves are responsible for swallowing, sucking, vocalising, listening, and orienting, all linked to heart rate, breathing and digestion in the autonomic or instinctive part of the nervous system.
As we did in infancy, by stimulating these cranial nerves we are feeding the pathways to tell us we are safe and therefore helping the whole autonomic nervous system to regulate. The primary caregiver uses the voice to communicate and sooth the baby. Our nervous system develops in response to auditory and vocal communication. Melodic tones from a parent’s voice are soothing, whereas loud bangs cause startles. In other words, as an adult, our vocalising and listening affect our heart rate and breathing, just as they did when we were little.
Simple listening
There are specific therapeutic protocols designed to stimulate these cranial nerves and thus regulate the autonomic nervous system, such as the Safe and Sound Protocol™ or some practices in the SIMPLE Listening™ programme. However, there are many practices we use naturally and can, through conscious awareness, amplify their supportive effect. Music has been part of our human experience throughout history, with most cultures using it to convey spiritual, moral, historical events and values. And this continues in our modern western culture, with music, vocal and non-vocal, being used to calm, foster social connection, and promote feelings of safety and joy.
From singing to speaking, vocal exercises to storytelling, the act of using our voice can have profound effects on brain health across different ages and stages of life. Furthermore, music can serve as a form of sensory stimulation for individuals with
neurological conditions such as dementia or Parkinson's disease. Listening to familiar songs from their past can evoke memories, stimulate language processing, and improve mood in people with dementia. Similarly, rhythmic auditory stimulation through music therapy techniques can help individuals with Parkinson's disease improve gait and motor coordination.
Beyond its individual therapeutic benefits, music also has the power to foster social connection and community cohesion. Shared musical experiences, such as attending concerts, singing in choirs, or playing in bands, can create bonds between people and promote a sense of belonging.
Using music, voice, and sound consciously seems to be an easy, even effortless, route to supporting our health and wellbeing.
Five ways to use sound and voice to support your health
1. Listen to bird song. Spring and summer are great times to take a pause to listen to the birds. When we tune into our feathered friends our nervous system is hard wired to regulate, as there are unlikely to be any predators nearby when the birds are singing!
2. Sing. Alone in your car, or with others at a football match or in a choir. Wherever is more comfortable for you. The act of singing stimulates the cranial nerves responsible for helping us to feel safe, and thus relax. Moreover, singing in a group fosters social connections and promotes a sense of belonging, which further supports overall health.
3. Be conscious of playing music to calm your body. Choose some melodic tunes and notice how your body responds. The more you do this, the more your body will automatically relax when hearing this music.
4. Create a playlist for different occasions. Upbeat, rhythmic music can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with pleasure and happiness.
5. Speak slowly in long phrases. This allows your breath to elongate as well as stimulating the vocal cord nerves. Both serve to calm and make your body feel safer.