Why do we sing in the shower?

Many of us can relate to the moment when you are taking a shower, and before you know it you’re belting out your favorite song. For most of us the singing seems to occur naturally in the shower, and our voice even tends to sound better. So why do we sing in the shower? And why do we sound better?

singing in shower blog

According to Music Mic, your voice in the shower bounces off of the tiles, making it louder and more powerful to your own ears. The shape of the shower directly effects the way the the sound waves travel. The shape usually causes the sound waves to travel longer, making the sound resonate in the air. As the sound lingers for longer, it gives it a richer sound. The sound waves as they linger vibrate at about 100 times per second, which makes the voice sound deeper,and enhances the bass. This all contributes to a richer, deeper voice that sounds less pitchy than usual.

It has also been proven that singing has beneficial psychological effects on humans. Whether starting off your day with a shower, or ending your day with a shower, it will most likely boost your mood. Singing releases endorphins and oxytocin in the brain, hormones that bring pleasure and relaxation. Endorphins in particular reduce our perception of pain, lead to feelings of euphoria, and enhance the immune response. This contributes to less stress, and a more relaxing shower.

In addition, you are never too old to sing in the shower. In fact, a study shows that singing at old age can improve mental and oral condition of the elderly. Forty-four subjects were recruited for the study, 60 years or older. All participants were currently on medication for respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. They were all measured of height. weight, blood pressure, and heart rate right before they were asked to sing. They also participated in a questionnaire beforehand.  All participants sang 3 songs in a row, which totaled to about 3 or more minutes. Afterwards, saliva and blood samples were taken. Results revealed a decrease in pulse rates after singing, a decrease of cortisol (a steroid hormone that is connected to stress) in saliva, and answers to the questioner involving the words: relaxed, comfortable, pleasurable, relieved, and released. These words show that there is an improved mental state for the elderly.

This study shows that singing is beneficial to the elderly, but it seems that it could also have positive effects on those who consistently sing in the shower from childhood into old age. The study above was well conducted, and in the future I would recommend a similar study done to children, teenagers, and adults who sing.

So why do we sing in the shower? And why do we sound better? I have come to the conclusion that singing in the shower increases our mood, and quality of life even if we don’t realize it. This pushes us to sing in the shower, in need of more relaxation, and positive physical effects for our bodies. When it all comes down to it, the shower provides the right acoustics to make our voices sound better than usual, and we should take the opportunity to sing along to our favorite songs in the shower.

7 thoughts on “Why do we sing in the shower?

  1. Rebecca Danielle Schneider

    This was a really cool topic to blog about! At home, I would always blast music from my phone while showering so I could sing along, so I can definitely relate! The study you mentioned is super specific and it was much more convincing with the sample size, third variables, and the age range given to us. A lot of your points were valid and showed a strong correlation between singing in the shower and a positive mood after. I think it would be really interesting if there was a study that tested how different genres of music affected a person who was singing in the shower!

  2. Victoria Chelsea Bushman

    This blog was very interesting, because it is something I never really thought about! I have known the reasons as to why our voices sound better, but never really delved into why we do it. But in thinking about it, your post is correct, because singing in the shower has always seemed to put me in a better mood. Even here at school I also find myself missing doing so, and have even accidentally started singing. Although I have chalked that up to be due to my boredom.

  3. Aidan James Bitterman

    This is really funny and cool to read about. I guess one reason I always find myself singing in the shower is that there is nothing else to do. It’s always fun to sing in the shower.

  4. Emily Josephine Engle

    Rachel, this blog came across as very interesting to me. I would say that the shower is probably my favorite place to sing, and I actually miss being able to while at school. I have also found that I think I sound better while in the shower, and have often wondered why that is. According to an article published by Elite Daily, we sound better due to Reverberation, which is the process that sounds blend together. Because of the way showers are constructed, they are similar to a mixer. Showers can modify your voice because of the way it is shaped, making us sound better. So almost in a way, showers act like auto-tune. Showers make your voice sound better in 3 ways: It increases the volume, some sounds travel faster in the shower, and showers amplify certain frequencies of sound.
    More information on the science behind shower singing:
    http://elitedaily.com/news/world/science-proves-really-sound-better-sing-shower/915630/

  5. Amber Kay Shojaie

    Nice blog, Rachel. I thought this was well thought out and a very interesting topic choice. I LOVE to sing in the shower. I mean like you said, we sound better. I have been in musicals ever since I was in first grade, and for as long as I can remember, I would always practice my audition songs in the shower. Number one, because it was time that I had to myself to reflect and critique before I went into my audition, and number two, because it would give me a little confidence boost. I now know I can thank the shower shape for my pre-audition preparation. Piggy-backing off of what you were saying about singing releasing endorphins, here’s an experiment in which they inquired about the positive impact of singing. Check it out! Looks like they found only positive benefits such as, well-being and relaxation benefits, social benefits, and spiritual benefits. Pretty cool that something we all love to do can be so good for us.

  6. yvy5242

    Yes, I used to be a person who love to sing when take a shower. It really could release my stress from daytime. Also, sometimes I truly believe that when I stay in the bathroom, I can sing better than I normally did. Maybe it is because of the echoes that produced by tiny size of bathroom. But now as a freshman, I had to live with three other roommates on campus. If I know that someone outside can hear my voices, I would be shy to sing.

  7. Haley Amanda Toadvine

    I really enjoyed this blog! The blog had me thinking- is it possible that singing in the shower could even make us healthier? According a study I was able to find, it seems as though there is evidence behind this claim. Research shows that those who sing regularly are more likely to have stronger immune systems. Furthermore, those who sing have lower stress levels and healthier hearts than those who do not regularly sing. Very strange to think that singing in the shower could actually be a great health benefit!!

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