WEBVTT - Short Stuff: Does singing make you happy?

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, welcome to the short stuff. Josh here, Chuck here,

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<v Speaker 1>Jerry here, Dave here. In spirit it's shorts stuff. Sorry,

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<v Speaker 1>it's shorts stuff. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna start this one by telling a quick little

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<v Speaker 2>story of last year. I got in my Instagram feed

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<v Speaker 2>for a little while these choirs, these choral singing groups

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<v Speaker 2>that were you know, it's kind of a thing now

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<v Speaker 2>where it's not like, oh, you know, we go to

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<v Speaker 2>the church and it's an official choir, but like, hey,

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<v Speaker 2>my friend has a warehouse space and we can put

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<v Speaker 2>a piano in it and just put out a call

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<v Speaker 2>to see, like people want to show up and sing together.

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<v Speaker 1>Like humanist choirs.

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<v Speaker 2>Is that what it's called.

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<v Speaker 1>That's what I'm calling it.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh okay, yeah, oh just because yeah, humanist episode, I

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<v Speaker 2>got Youah, yeah, exactly that. And you know they're doing

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<v Speaker 2>like a cool Radiohead song or something like that, like

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<v Speaker 2>or whatever, you know, Christmas music around the holiday. And

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<v Speaker 2>I was like, you know what, man, I sang in

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<v Speaker 2>a choir growing up in my church, and Emily and

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<v Speaker 2>I both sing, she sang in show choir, and like

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<v Speaker 2>we both got a lot out of those experiences. And

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<v Speaker 2>I haven't done it since I was a teenager and

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<v Speaker 2>I was like, man, we got a piano, and I

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<v Speaker 2>bet you we could get a group together to come

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<v Speaker 2>around and do this kind of thing. And I was

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<v Speaker 2>I still might do it this year, but I never

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<v Speaker 2>got around to it. But it was something that was

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<v Speaker 2>really kind of on my list.

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<v Speaker 1>So are you going to do it? Though?

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<v Speaker 2>You think, well, I really want to do it, Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>we'll do it. Yeah, I do want to cause I think,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I would be the facilitator, but I would

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<v Speaker 2>get someone who's like, somebody's got to lead the show

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<v Speaker 2>because I can't do that. But I'll sing and I'll

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<v Speaker 2>put you know, I'll provide the space and the piano.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, there you go. I think that's a good start.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it would be fun, like a neighborhood deal

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<v Speaker 2>and long way of sort of getting around to this

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<v Speaker 2>idea that they've kind of learned that singing is good

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<v Speaker 2>for you, and specifically singing together like inn a choir.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, Yeah, that's a a big thing. And Chuck, if

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<v Speaker 1>you did get a choral group together, you guys would

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<v Speaker 1>be the two hundred and fifty thousand and first chorus

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<v Speaker 1>group in the United States, because that's how many are

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<v Speaker 1>in there. Yeah, something like almost twenty nine million people

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<v Speaker 1>regularly sing in a choral group and in the United States,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's the most popular of all arts related participatory activities. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>It's more popular than cross country painting and charades leagues combined.

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<v Speaker 1>You know.

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<v Speaker 2>Interestingly, I saw a study the other day where they

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<v Speaker 2>found one participatory activity helps stave off dementia more than

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<v Speaker 2>any other and it was dance.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh I believe that.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, because the movement and the all the benefits of

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<v Speaker 2>doing a participatory activity, plus the benefits of the exercise

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<v Speaker 2>and everything, but something about dance that and it was

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<v Speaker 2>like kind of off the charts, and like how good

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<v Speaker 2>it was for you to do as like as you age.

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<v Speaker 1>Sure, gitch troubles come on, get happy, all right.

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<v Speaker 2>So let's talk about singing though, because like if you

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<v Speaker 2>get together with a choir, obviously everyone there is probably

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<v Speaker 2>going because they like to sing and they're probably pretty

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<v Speaker 2>good at singing. But you can just go to your

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<v Speaker 2>local karaoke bar as evidence that, Like people love to

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<v Speaker 2>sing who can't sing at all sometimes and they will

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<v Speaker 2>do that in front of people and people will like

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<v Speaker 2>still watch that and be interested.

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<v Speaker 1>For sure. Yeah, people will watch other people who can't

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<v Speaker 1>sing sing, Yeah, and then people who can't sing will

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<v Speaker 1>sing in front of other people and feel good about it.

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<v Speaker 1>Like karaoke is a great example of like the fact

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<v Speaker 1>that this exists. There's something about singing, including singing and

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<v Speaker 1>other in front of other people that actually does give

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<v Speaker 1>you a positive vibe. Yes, so you said something though,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean like you can sing at home in the shower,

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<v Speaker 1>you can sing at home on the couch, you can

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<v Speaker 1>sing at home in the kitchen, sing in the car

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<v Speaker 1>for sure, sing in the car, you could sing in

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<v Speaker 1>the laundry room, right, like you could sing basically anywhere

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<v Speaker 1>by yourself. And yes, there are benefits, as we'll see.

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<v Speaker 1>But because there's something about singing in a group, as

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<v Speaker 1>we'll kind of unpack, it's just it provides greater benefits.

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<v Speaker 1>But if you do sing in your laundry room, you're

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<v Speaker 1>still going to get some benefits from it. But if

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<v Speaker 1>you've got a group of people who sing with you

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<v Speaker 1>in your laundry room, you would be doing really good

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<v Speaker 1>for sure.

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<v Speaker 2>Good time for a break, Yeah, all right, we're going

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<v Speaker 2>to talk about what those benefits are because they seem

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<v Speaker 2>kind of mysterious. Right after this.

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<v Speaker 1>If you want to know then you're in luck. Just

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<v Speaker 1>listen to SUFFUSI stuffuse no.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, So, like you mentioned before the break, all

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<v Speaker 2>types of singing is good for you. We found it

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<v Speaker 2>releases endorphins, which is always great. If you're singing in

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<v Speaker 2>front of people, it's gonna you know, build your confidence.

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<v Speaker 2>Like I've seen some not very good singers at karaoke

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<v Speaker 2>just like still kind of kill it and walk out

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<v Speaker 2>of there, like clearly, like kind of brimming with confidence. Sure,

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<v Speaker 2>which is going to have like a great effect on

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<v Speaker 2>your life and well being for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>But like I said, singing with a group, choral singing

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<v Speaker 1>has the most dramatic effects, And there's actually some studies

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<v Speaker 1>that have shown this. Apparently in Australia in two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and eight, a study looked at choral singers and said, hey,

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<v Speaker 1>how satisfied are you with your life? And they said

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<v Speaker 1>really satisfied, so satisfied that if you compared us to

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<v Speaker 1>the average person from the general public, we're more satisfied

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<v Speaker 1>with our life. They're like, well, wait a minute, what

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<v Speaker 1>if we control for all these differences and the only

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<v Speaker 1>difference is these people sing and the rest of the

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<v Speaker 1>people don't. Well does that still hold true? Yes, it will,

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<v Speaker 1>that's right.

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<v Speaker 2>It was Australia, they said, yes, and not now.

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<v Speaker 1>And I mean Australians are generally happy on a whole

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<v Speaker 1>compared to other other groups.

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<v Speaker 2>No, I totally agree.

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<v Speaker 1>That was so like Australian choral singers through the roof happy,

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<v Speaker 1>they can't stop smiling. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>In fact, I'm gonna start saying that. I'm gonna say, man,

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<v Speaker 2>they were as happy as an Australian choral singer.

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<v Speaker 1>That's a great one. That's great.

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<v Speaker 2>In nineteen ninety eight, there was another study that found

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<v Speaker 2>after nursing home residents were you know, active in a

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<v Speaker 2>singing program for a month, there were big time decreases

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<v Speaker 2>in both anxiety and depression levels. And a study in

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<v Speaker 2>England six hundred British choral singers found that singing plays

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<v Speaker 2>a central role in their psychological health. Like people get

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<v Speaker 2>a lot out.

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<v Speaker 1>Of it, right, And that would have included Ireland and Wales.

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<v Speaker 2>That's right. Actually that didn't look too deeply into that one.

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, if it said British then for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>So some of the physical effects though, like it actually does.

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<v Speaker 1>Like we've been talking mostly about well being we'll talk

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<v Speaker 1>a little more about that. But physically speaking, singing has

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<v Speaker 1>a great effect on your body. It's essentially an aerobic exercise.

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<v Speaker 1>Because of the way you're breathing, you're getting more oxygen

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<v Speaker 1>in your blood. That improves your circulation. Good circulation makes

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<v Speaker 1>you happy. I've seen that it's prescribed. Singing is prescribed

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<v Speaker 1>to people who are going through lung rehab for some

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<v Speaker 1>sort of lung issue. And there's also like a you

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<v Speaker 1>need to breathe deeply, so you're spending like an hour

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<v Speaker 1>or so, like a week breathing deeply. That's essentially one

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<v Speaker 1>of the main parts of meditation and relaxation techniques is

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<v Speaker 1>deep you know, controlled breathing and singing. An acquir requires

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<v Speaker 1>you to do that.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, for sure. I remember talking, Oh, when was it,

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<v Speaker 2>I guess it was sometime light last year when or

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<v Speaker 2>I guess early last year, when I was very upset

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<v Speaker 2>a lot about politics, not like I am now, which

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<v Speaker 2>is like just super stoked all the time, right, But

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<v Speaker 2>I remember talking about sing therapy, and that's what I

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<v Speaker 2>did for a little while. I would like put on

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<v Speaker 2>my piano as a little player piano, so I would

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<v Speaker 2>put that on and I would sing as hard as

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<v Speaker 2>I could sing, and it really really felt good. It

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<v Speaker 2>made a big difference in how I felt.

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<v Speaker 1>What were you singing whatever?

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<v Speaker 2>A lot of billy joel?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh that's great.

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<v Speaker 2>No, Like I was singing whatever. Whatever You could really

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<v Speaker 2>belt out, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, I think that's wonderful that you did that for yourself. Man, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>it was.

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<v Speaker 2>It was fun.

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<v Speaker 1>So one of the things that you could have also done,

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<v Speaker 1>since you probably know every word to every Billy Joel song,

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<v Speaker 1>you could have learned some new songs, right sure. And

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<v Speaker 1>had you done that, you would have been working your brain,

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<v Speaker 1>which is another benefit of singing, especially in a group.

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<v Speaker 1>You have to learn new stuff every week.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, for sure. And if you're learning things, and if

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<v Speaker 2>you're concentrating, like all right, I got to work out

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<v Speaker 2>my alto part on this thing. I'm a tenner. Actually

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<v Speaker 2>work on your tenor part. And then when you get

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<v Speaker 2>together with your little choir or big choir and you're like,

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<v Speaker 2>all right, I got to remember my part here where

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<v Speaker 2>I come in. Like, that's what you're thinking of, that's

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<v Speaker 2>what's on your mind. You're not thinking of the stress

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<v Speaker 2>at work or the stress at home, or the stress

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<v Speaker 2>in your life. Or your health stress, Like it's your

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<v Speaker 2>chance to park that stuff and really dwell on something

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<v Speaker 2>else for a while.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, And then we finally arrive at one of the

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<v Speaker 1>big reasons why, probably the biggest reason why singing an

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<v Speaker 1>a choir actually has the most benefits of any kind

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<v Speaker 1>of scene is because you are becoming part of a group. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>Like if you've ever been a member of any kind

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<v Speaker 1>of choir, like, that's a fairly tight group. Everybody knows

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<v Speaker 1>one another. You're required to rely on one another, Like

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<v Speaker 1>you are needed by this group. Your voice is needed,

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<v Speaker 1>your part is needed. Like there's a sense of belonging

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<v Speaker 1>and inclusion that comes from being a member of a choir.

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<v Speaker 1>And then on top of that, adding in all of

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<v Speaker 1>the benefits of singing again like this is it's just

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<v Speaker 1>really good for you.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's amazing. When we were I think I told

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<v Speaker 2>you this backstage. But when we were in Madison, I

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<v Speaker 2>went a day early and I woke up the next

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<v Speaker 2>morning and I was My hotel was like kind of

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<v Speaker 2>right on the water, so I had the windows open,

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<v Speaker 2>and because I could hear the water gently laughing, and

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<v Speaker 2>it sounded really nice. But I heard singing, and I

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<v Speaker 2>was like like group singing, and I was like, where

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<v Speaker 2>is that coming from? And I went and looked out

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<v Speaker 2>of my window and there was It turns out that

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<v Speaker 2>in the hotel there was a choral festival going on,

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<v Speaker 2>so there were a bunch of choirs staying there, and

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<v Speaker 2>there was a group of young people, like probably twenty

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<v Speaker 2>of them on a dock on a pier singing a

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<v Speaker 2>Radiohead song. And it was the most lovely thing I

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<v Speaker 2>had ever heard. You can't imagine a better way to

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<v Speaker 2>sort of start your morning than just by hearing that.

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<v Speaker 1>In reality, though backstage everybody he told me that he shouted,

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<v Speaker 1>piped down, shut up kid, that's cool man.

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<v Speaker 2>It was great. It was so so lovely.

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<v Speaker 1>Right well, I think since we ended that on a

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<v Speaker 1>high note from one of Chuck's good memories, good recent

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<v Speaker 1>memories from our visit to Madison, I mean short stuff

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<v Speaker 1>is out.

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