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Singing in the Car May Help Your Health

Blog Aug 01st, 2018

Go Ahead, Belt Out That Tune!

2018 RAV4 hybrid
You’re driving along and your favourite tune comes on the radio. At the beginning you hum along softly until finally you give in and begin to belt out the lyrics as if you’re performing to a sold out crowd.
At some point we have all thought our in-car singing is comparable to the talent of Adele or Cher. This belief may be delusional but make no mistake the benefits of singing are no delusion.
In the article “Singing for Health: an exploration of the issues” authors Rosie Stacey, Katie Brittain and Sandra Kerr outline the relationship between music and health. In reference to this article we have developed a list of 6 reasons why singing and listening to music in the car can improve your overall health:

  • Reduces Stress

    • Listening to music can relieve anxiety short term and has been proven to have a positive effect on listeners’ self-reported depression and overall mood. It should be noted that different music can elicit different types of feeling so try to listen to more happy or relaxing songs on your commute to work.

  • Helps Boost Immune Health

    • Listening to music can not only decrease stress but it can decrease the likelihood of you getting sick. Studies have shown that listening to music can reduce cortisol levels and increase immunoglobulin in saliva. All of this is just a fancy way of saying music is a way your body can increase the ability to fight off illness as it is not being inhibited by physiological reactions to stress.

  • Is a Time for Exploration of your Inner Self

    • Listening to music alone has been argued to help in the discovery of one’s inner self and helpful in the creation of identity. Hence why time spent listening to music is peak during adolescent years when we are trying to figure out who we are and who we wish to become as adults.

  • Increases Social Bonding

    • Music can be a social activity. Research on community choir groups has found that singing can provide benefits as it increases social and emotional bonding between group members. So why not bond through song with your friends and family in the car? If people don’t know the lyrics they can still contribute by clapping or dancing along.

  • Improves Breathing

    • Singing has been long used as a therapeutic activity for people with asthma or bronchitis. Singing engages the throat, lungs, diaphragm and abdomen. Singing is essentially a way for you to exercise and improve your cardiovascular health.

  • Singing Makes you HAPPY!

    • Singing releases endorphins and endorphins make you HAPPY! Smile and sing your hearts away friends!

Looking for a way to gain these health benefits by amplifying that beautiful voice of yours? At Hefffner Toyota we have vehicles such as the Sienna and Highlander feature Driver Easy Speak. Driver Easy Speak utilizes the vehicle’s built-in microphone to amplify the driver’s voice through the rear speakers.  This feature can be controlled via the touch-screen audio system.  There are 4 volume settings to take your Carpool Karaoke to the next level! Feel free to come in for a sound test, correction TEST DRIVE today.
Stacy, R., Brittain, K., & Kerr, S. (2002). Singing for health: an exploration of the issues. Health Education, 102(4), 156-162. doi:10.1108/09654280210434228
EasySpeak http://toyota.heffner.ca/vehicles-that-fit-your-family-gear/

Heffner ToyotaBlogSinging in the Car May Help Your Health