“The best way to spread Christmas cheer
Is singing loud for all to hear.”
Have you ever wondered why people like to sing and play music during the holidays? Or go caroling door-to-door together? Or why is singing a family tradition for so many cultures during the holidays? The answer is far more straightforward than you might think.
Music brings you joy when you sing, especially when you sing with others.
We are not saying this just because we are musicians and music teachers, but because science suggests it. Singing, playing, and listening to music with others brightens your day by lifting your spirits and releasing a hormone in your brain called oxytocin, commonly known as the "love hormone."
Neurological brain research has shown that when people sing together, it helps them feel emotionally closer. Those who sing together in a group feel closer because the act of listening to each other makes everyone's brains work to synchronize with each other - thus bringing you emotionally closer. Ask anyone who has ever sung in a choir how close they have felt to their fellow singers.
So, essentially, it's not the music we are looking for, but the closeness that music can bring to us when we sing with each other. During the coldest and darkest time of the year, music is the best anti-depressant you can get during the holiday season. Just singing or playing a musical instrument will do the trick to bring you more joy.
Joyful Brain Food - Dopamine & Serotonin!
Neurologists have shown that our brains release dopamine and serotonin during musical activities (listening to it and doing it) with people we love.
And dopamine is the neurotransmitter in our brains that regulates the pleasure and reward centers. So what does serotonin do in the body? Serotonin is found primarily in the digestive tract and is the critical hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. This hormone impacts your entire body and enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. It also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion.
It's incredible to know that playing music and singing with others, especially the ones you love, can lift your mood and fill your holiday with love and closeness. What a great gift you can give to your family and friends this holiday season - MUSIC.
From Thanksgiving to New Year's, it's a challenge to go anywhere without hearing the same holiday songs. If you're looking for new songs sung worldwide, we have a link to 10 songs and carols on our website that will add some international flair to your holiday festivities.
Check it out here: www.leadingnotestudios.com/holiday-songs-acrosstheglobe
Remember to sit down next to the ones you love during the holiday season and sing a little song together. What matters is the closeness and joy that music brings -- and the happiness that will come naturally because of it!