Research finds singing together can help reduce stress in dementia patients

3 November 2025, 17:00

Scientists tested saliva samples of care home residents with dementia and depression, before and after they took part in music-making.

Singing can reduce stress. It’s official. So when you’re worrying your way through the rhythms in Carmina Burana, remember that the experts have said it’s actually good for you.

A new European academic study has found that music-based group activities can help reduce stress in care home residents with dementia and depression, by analysing saliva samples.

Researchers from the University of Groningen and partners in Germany and Norway looked at the impact of group music therapy and choir singing on stress markers in saliva alongside subjective stress reports for 183 care home residents over six months.​

The research measured salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase, two common markers that can rise with acute stress, as well as questionnaires to measure participants’ perceived stress levels before and after they took part in musical activities.

Read more: Starting piano lessons later in life could delay dementia onset

Dad with dementia plays beautiful Bach

The report, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, found some post-session improvements in participants’ stress levels, both biologically and subjectively. The authors of the report have suggested that this research paves the way for more complex biological investigations into the effects of music.

High cortisol levels have often been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, while dopamine, sometimes known as the “feel-good” hormone, has been shown to lower cortisol.

It’s all good news for music lovers. Many studies have shown that singing and other musical activities help release serotonin and dopamine, lowering stress levels.

Earlier this year, research from University College, London found that soothing music can help us eat healthier food and another heartwarming study published in the European Heart Journal demonstrated the therapeutic potential of classical music on heart rate variability (which helps reduce mortality).