Dr Jean-Marc Sène explained the health benefits of singing on French network TF1 on August 19, 2026, highlighting improvements in breathing and stress.
Speaking during the Allô le doc segment on the morning broadcast Bonjour ! La Matinale TF1, the physician outlined several unsuspected health advantages associated with vocal practice, ranging from enhanced lung function to emotional regulation.
Dr Sène said singing directly engages and exercises the body's respiratory muscles. He noted that vocalising forces expiration to become an active physical process rather than a passive reflex.
Respiratory and cardiovascular benefits
In standard resting breathing, exhalation occurs passively as respiratory muscles relax. When singing, active expiration requires the deliberate contraction of abdominal and intercostal muscles to regulate airflow across the vocal cords.
According to Dr Sène, this sustained muscular work promotes cardiac coherence. Cardiac coherence is a recognized physiological state where heart rate variability enters a smooth pattern matching the rhythm of respiration, helping to balance the nervous system and reduce blood pressure.
Dr Sène added that regular vocal practice offers nocturnal benefits by reducing how often people snore. Targeted vocal exercises strengthen and tone the tissues of the upper airway, soft palate and throat, preventing airway obstruction during sleep.
Stress reduction and pain management
Beyond respiratory mechanics, Dr Sène reported significant mental health gains from vocal activity. He explained that singing causes levels of cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, to drop.
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands during times of physical or psychological tension. Lowering circulating cortisol levels helps alleviate anxiety, reduce muscle tension and calm systemic stress responses.
The doctor also stated that individuals who sing are better equipped to handle physical pain. Deep diaphragmatic breathing combined with lower stress hormones helps elevate the body's natural pain threshold.
Morning television broadcast
The health feature was produced by the TF1info video editorial team for TF1, France's primary private national television channel. The segment aired alongside broader morning news and lifestyle programming on August 19, 2026.
