Group singing reduces symptoms of postnatal depression for up to six months

Medical Xpress / King's College London / The British Journal of Psychiatry ^ | Oct. 15, 2025 | Patrick O'Brien / Rebecca H. Bind et al

[ConservativeMind]

New research has shown that a specially designed group singing intervention, Breathe Melodies for Mums, is an effective and acceptable way to treat mothers with postnatal depression.

The SHAPER-PND project explores the impact of community-based group singing on maternal mental health, providing an accessible intervention that helps new mothers overcome the personal and societal barriers that can stop them seeking support.

Approximately 24% of U.K. mothers experience postnatal depression, an illness typified by prolonged feelings of sadness or hopelessness following birth.

For this study, 199 mothers experiencing postnatal depression were recruited to participate in sessions at children and family centers across South London, and were randomly split into two groups. The control group, 66 participants, were signposted to preexisting mother–baby activity groups that did not involve singing for 10 weeks, while 133 were provided with 10 weeks of the in-person group singing intervention for mothers and babies, Breathe Melodies for Mums.

Researchers found that both groups experienced a reduction in the severity of depression symptoms at week 10 after they had completed either the singing or control activity. However, only the singing group showed significant reductions in depressive symptoms at weeks 20 and 36, demonstrating the long-lasting effects of the singing intervention, up to six months after it had concluded.

Further analysis revealed that the singing group had a much lower dropout rate (23% of participants at 10 weeks) compared with the controls (43% of participants at 10 weeks). In both groups, there was no difference in levels of depression at the beginning of the study between those who did and those who did not continue.

In the singing group, participants were more likely to report that they liked and welcomed the intervention compared to those in the control activity group, and that they found it a good match.

[ConservativeMind]

Singing with others, seemingly like one does at church, helped depressive symptoms a lot—even after going six months without singing.

[ConservativeMind]

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[decal]

Having to concentrate on the lyrics and tune rather than on one’s own thoughts must help a lot.

As an aside, I misread “postnatal” as “postnasal,” but singing might help with that as well...

[MayflowerMadam]

Of course group singing is mentally healthy for everyone.

In church, I see the people who just stand there like dolts during song service. They don’t know what they’re missing.

[cyclotic]

so, another reason to go to church.

[myprecious]

I began vocal training with a YouTube coach about 18 months ago and changed my life.
I have been in a severe PTSD crisis with social isolation and shuddering since 2019. Without speaking or using facial expressions, the muscles deteriorated rapidly. I began having trouble swallowing and probably sleep apnea. My face looked gaunt and old. My teeth felt weak. My stuttering caused tremendous frustration and deepened the crisis.
I found a YT channel and started singing along. Instead of singing words and tunes, the training focuses on vowel sounds and progressive but simple patterns along a scale. It sounded terrible at first, but I gave it 10 or 15 minutes daily.
Within a month, the changes began and continue to today. Vocal production uses the tongue, cheek, and both the hard and soft palette. The slack muscles of my cheeks lifted. The saggy chin is tight. My teeth have shifted and straightened considerably. My face has dramatically changed.
My voice is still developing, but I have gained fluidity and confidence. I am now interacting socially.
I am convinced that the vibrations of the sounds have calmed my overactive limbic system.

[Getready]

Are they saying that Village People were therapeutic?

[spankalib]

Not only at church. I remember as a boy, going to parks (national parks IIRC), and the park rangers would gather everyone around the fire pit and lead us in singing ('My name is John Johnson, I live in Wisconsin... songs like that).

& then there was Mitch Miller - do you remember in "Catch Me if You Can" the director made sing a longs cringey...yeah, "we're too sophisticated for that corny stuff now."

We've definitely lost something (listening to our sophisticate "betters").