Your bathroom concerts may be starting your day better than your breakfast cereal ever promised.
It’s the place where you can be anybody you want, whether it’s Mariah, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Bono or Freddie Mercury. The shower is the stadium performance where bathroom acoustics make us all sound like superstars.
And singing in the shower is not just theatre.
According to Lyz Cooper of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, whose research explored how music affects health and wellbeing, regular singing alters stress hormones, mood chemistry and even immune function.
Annemari Viviers of Heavenly Healing said that she could not agree more and that singing in the shower should be part of everyone’s kick-start to the day.
Whether your neighbours like it or not, your bathroom concerts may be starting your day better than your breakfast cereal ever promised.
It lifts your mood early
Cooper’s research noted neuroscience and psychology studies showing that singing lowers cortisol, the hormone linked to stress, while stimulating dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin, the chemicals associated with pleasure, calm, and emotional connection.
“These neurochemical changes are why people often feel emotionally lighter after singing,” Cooper noted in her research. “It creates a rapid uplift in mood and reduces stress.”
“The shower provides privacy,” said Viviers. “Without an audience, people sing more freely, and that uninhibited singing is where much of the emotional benefit is generated.”
ALSO READ: Don’t let FOFO ruin 2026: The fear you didn’t know you had
It’s low-impact breathwork
Singing requires deep inhalations and slow, regulated exhalations. Cooper’s paper references breathwork research showing that sustained breathing patterns improve oxygen flow and calm the nervous system.
Viviers added that the body responds positively to this form of vocal breathwork. “When you sing, your breathing naturally slows down and deepens,” Viviers said. “That immediately tells the nervous system that it is safe. The diaphragm strengthens, lung capacity improves, and people feel calmer without having to try to meditate to get to the same spiritual place,” she said.
Emotional Channelling
Viviers said singing creates an emotional release opportunity.
“The voice carries emotion,” she said. “When people sing, they release what has been sitting in the chest and throat chakras and they may not have had the opportunity to adequately release it yet. Without looking at things through a magnifying glass and internalising your emotions, singing lets the body release this kind of stored tension.”
Singing can boost immune systems
One of the strongest findings in Cooper’s research relates to Immunoglobulin A. It’s a big name, and it is an antibody protein found in saliva, tears and mucous membranes that forms part of the body’s first line of defence against viruses and bacteria.
Multiple studies referenced by her research showed significant increases in Immunoglobulin A levels among people who sing regularly, including a long-term study that showed a 150% increase in solo singers. This could mean that when you sing in the shower, you are belting out reasons to stay well, too.
AM Mindfulness
Singing in the shower draws attention to breath, sound and physical sensations. Cooper’s research noted that music regulates arousal, reward, immunity and social bonding systems in the brain. Viviers said this makes shower singing an unintentional form of daily mindfulness.
“Singing in the shower grounds you in your body and breath before the world demands anything from you,” she said. “It’s a nervous-system reset people don’t even realise they’re practising, but it does a great job.”
Juke-boxing yourself
Cooper’s research found that music with fast tempos, driving rhythms, and positive or meaningful lyrics had the strongest effect on mood, energy, and emotional regulation.
In terms of favourites to perform, pop, rock and movie soundtracks ranked highest in her study of more than 7,500 participants. Viviers said that shower playlists are important.
“Songs that make you want to sing out loud, breathe deeply and dance around can really deliver huge dollops of positivity,” she said.
Props do the trick
Cooper’s research showed that active participation with music releases more endorphins than passive listening. So, take this to the shower, and it more or less means that the more you perform, the more your brain rewards you.
That makes whatever props you use to get you to your personal standing ovation, is, well, super important.
“A hairbrush microphone, a shampoo bottle or even a deodorant stick can double as a microphone,” said Viviers. “And don’t forget your air guitar,” she added.
Cooper’s research found that even 5 minutes of positive music could improve mood, with about 14 minutes delivering the strongest emotional lift.
So, in practical terms, this means singing in the shower, crooning while washing your hair, and delivering your encore while getting dressed.
Now Read: Bad neighbours sour suburban living
