Heart Rate Variability During Choral Singing

1. Erik M. G. Olsson, PhD1⇓

1. Bo von Schéele, PhD2,3
2. Töres Theorell, MD, PhD4

1. 1Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
2. 2Institute for Psychophysiological Behavioral Medicine, Bergvik, Sweden
3. 3School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden
4. 4Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

1. Erik M. G. Olsson, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden. Email: erik.olsson@pubcare.uu.se

Abstract

Contemporary research implies that choral singing is beneficial to health. Singing various kinds of songs with varied emphasis, emotion, and tempo gives rise to diverse physiological responses. Breathing is assumed to be synchronized during choral singing, and breathing has major influence on heart rate variability (HRV). In this study, we compare HRV responses during choral singing with slow breathing exercises. Thirteen amateur singers’ HRV were studied during a rehearsal of 4 songs framed by 2 slow breathing exercises without audience. The heart rate was generally higher and HRV generally lower during singing compared to the slow breathing conditions. During singing, but not during slow breathing, peak HRV frequency showed considerable variation among the participants. This could be due to either a low degree of synchronization of breathing during singing or other factors overruling the effects of breathing on HRV.

 http://mmd.sagepub.com/content/5/1/52.full