Life-Changing Singing Classes

A woman says a singing class has been life-saving, improving her breathing and overall wellbeing. Sarah McCubbin, 53, from Amesbury in Wiltshire, has asthma and suffered type 2 respiratory failure, which causes dangerously low blood oxygen levels, three years ago.

The Turning Point

She is one of hundreds of people who have found that taking a singing class improved their lung health and overall well-being. After a few months, she noticed she could say full sentences without having to "take a big breath" and her anxiety had improved. She added: “It sounds dramatic, but it was life-saving.”

The Sing and Breathe Project

She visits the Sing and Breathe Project, which offers weekly sessions across Wiltshire. The organization has published a report which has shown huge benefits for participants. Bosses said: “People have gone from being able to walk far or up the stairs to being more active with their grandchildren.”

Personal Experience

Ms. McCubbin said when she got out of hospital she used a Zimmer frame and after a while decided "no more". “It’s been three years since I started singing and I haven’t looked back since,” she said. "It opened my eyes. I learned to ration my breathing. I started breathing more through my nose and using my stomach."

The Science Behind Singing

Liv McLennan, Director of Sounds Better CIC, said that it is common for many people to “forget how to breathe most efficiently,” regardless of whether they have difficulty breathing or not. "[So] “We gently reconnect people with their bodies and make them feel like they can use it more efficiently,” she said.

The Results

"We saw big changes: people went from being able to walk far or up the stairs to being more active with their grandchildren or children and walking for miles. Some people were even able to reduce their use of inhalers." Ms. McLennan said she hoped to expand the project to more areas in the future.