Music can boost the immune system and tune out an illness, study finds
New study contradicts previous claims that music is "biologically useless" and suggests it could treat stress and depression
MUSIC could boost the immune system and help people recover from illness, scientists believe.
They found singing for an hour can increase levels of immune proteins, reduce stress and improve mood.
Nearly 200 choristers were tested for levels of stress hormone cortisol and cytokines — which prompt the immune system to fight illness.
Singing reduced cortisol and led to increases in cytokines.
The research by Tenovus Cancer Care and the Royal College of Music was revealed at the British Science Festival in Swansea.
Report co-author Dr Daisy Fancourt said: “This suggests that music is reducing stress levels and leading to a boost in our immune activity.”
In the past scientists have claimed music is "biologically useless", but Dr Fancourt said it could have had an evolutionary purpose.
"It is thought that [singing] developed as a way of mothers reassuring their babies and communicating with them. We know that arches of sound are easier for babies to understand than spoken word."
The study also found people with depression who took part in a ten-week drumming course saw a 40 per cent improvement in their illness.
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Dr Fancourt said: “People might think that music reducing stress is not ground-breaking and obvious, but we have found also that it can lead to a reduction in biological stress.
"The biological changes that we are seeing, are they small and insignificant or could they have impacts on our health?"
She said long-term research was needed.