Why Do We Sing in the Shower?

Have you ever belted out your favorite song while lathering up? It’s okay to admit it – even the celebrities do it! From Josh Groban to Jack Black, famous people have confessed to singing in the shower.

This widespread phenomenon isn’t limited to famous people, though. A survey by Westin revealed that three in five people sing in the shower on a regular basis. Most people wouldn’t sing in public even if they’re paid, so why sing under the waterfall?

The psychology of singing in the shower

Singing is a natural reaction to feeling happy. And most people feel happier when they are relaxing in a hot shower or bath.

The isolated nature of being in the shower also leads people to feel safe and comfortable, which promotes relaxation. The normal response to being relaxed, warm, worry-free and secluded is to shrug off stress and daily worries and transition to a happier, unrestricted state of mind.

For many, shower time is the only real alone time they experience all day, and the mental tranquility that results from the shower environment causes your brain to release dopamine. Dopamine is a hormone that is important in the creative process (this may also be why many people experience a burst in creative thinking and problem solving while in the shower).

Feeling relaxed and positive already, bursting into song actually makes you feel even better! Your breathing becomes easier as singing forces you to take deeper, more even breaths and then let them out in a controlled manner. This type of breathing is very similar to that of meditation, and carries the same benefits. From relieving stress to raising the oxygen in your blood, you can feel free to sing during all showers.

What science says about belting out tunes while bathing

Singing makes you feel good primarily because you’re breathing gets better. As the air flows more rapidly in and out of your lungs, your blood gets a major oxygen boost, improving circulation through your body. This, in turn, continues to improve your physical sense of wellbeing and your overall mood.

Singing, like yoga, activates the release of oxytocin and endorphins into the brain. This both heightens your sense of pleasure and relieves anxiety.

Sound Science in the Bathroom

Another reason people sing in the shower? Because they sound better! The acoustics in almost every bathroom are incredible. In fact, several famous songs have been recorded in bathrooms because the sound effects were so good.

Hard, polished surfaces everywhere create a resonant echo chamber. Tiles and porcelain surfaces don’t absorb sound, so your voice echoes back and forth, bouncing off the surfaces all around the room – several times before they fade away. The smaller space also works to boost your voice, making it sound deeper and louder.

The impressive reverb qualities of shower acoustics even out variations in your voice, improving your pitch similar to the way Autotune works. This makes you sound better than you actually are, which can improve your confidence in your vocal abilities and provide more freedom to keep on singing without worrying about how you really sound. Overall, bathrooms provide excellent spots to sound fabulous, so even terrible singers get some help.

Combine bathroom acoustics with improved oxygenation and circulation, along with the stress-relieving benefits of singing, and you have the perfect mix of scientifically-backed reasons for singing in the shower.

Besides, you’re in good company! From Kevin Jonas to Katy Perry, stars reveal what they sing in the shower in this fun YouTube video.