How to live longer: Singing could reduce your dementia risk and boost longevity

Living a healthy life could be as simple as singing along to your favourite songs. A joint Yale and Harvard study showed that for some people singing promoted healthy minds and hearts, which boosts longevity. In fact, studies have shown that singing can help lower blood pressure, improve brain health to reduce dementia risk and helps with depression symptoms.

Doctors report that singing may also help to reduce blood pressure.

A 76-year-old woman who had experienced severe preoperative hypertension prior to total knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis (OA). 

While the patient was unresponsive to aggressive pharmacologic interventions, the woman’s blood pressure dropped dramatically when she sang several religious songs.

This case-report appears in the April issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

“Several studies suggest that listening to music can be effective in reducing blood pressure by calming or diverting patients prior to surgery, which lessens stress and anxiety,” explains lead author Nina Niu, a researcher from Harvard Medical School in Boston.

“Our case study expands on medical evidence by showing that producing music or singing also has potential therapeutic effects in the preoperative setting.

Niu commented, “Singing is simple, safe, and free. Patients should be encouraged to sing if they wish.”

This single case study showed the positive effective of singing in reducing blood pressure and controlling pain.

“To be formally considered as an alternative therapy for the OA patient population, larger studies are needed to explore the effects of singing on hypertension and chronic pain relief,” said Niu.