A Holiday Tonic

This year, why not try singing the blues away By [Jeanne Martinet] Almost every day I see another newspaper article or blog about how to stave off the holiday blues (an affliction irritatingly known in some circles as WHAD's â??Winter Holiday Affective Disorder ). Upon perusing the list of dos and don"ts, I discover the usual directives: Go out with friends, don"t get too isolated, do nice things for yourself, etc. These are all obvious if effective; I mean, everyone knows that if you go out and have a lovely evening with a friend, you are going to feel better. But what about those times when your friends are too busy, or you have no money for that nice thing you want to do for yourself? Never fear. I have developed a full-proof holiday mood-booster, which I almost never see recommended by other experts. Singing. Studies have shown that singing releases endorphins, which reduces your stress level and raises your spirits. It"s also an aerobic activity, meaning it gets more oxygen into the blood for better circulation, which tends to promote a better mood. The act of singing also necessitates deep breathing, which meditation teachers will tell you is another key to mental and spiritual well-being. Also, singing is just plain fun. I know what you are thinking. You have a terrible voice, you can"t carry a tune and there is no way in hell you are going to sing in front of people. But that"s OK because I am not talking about singing in front of others. There are, of course, plentiful opportunities for taking part in free sing-a-longs, caroling and choirs in New York City at this time of year. And certainly if you can participate in one of these, great. But what I am prescribing here is solo singing, as in singing alone's in the shower, while doing the dishes or folding the laundry, while you are walking down the street, or if you are in the elevator by yourself. It is not about performing, not about how you sound, but about what the act of singing does for the mind and body. It does not have to be a holiday song either; sing an aria, a pop song or a kids song, it doesn"t matter as long as it is musical. You may feel you could never sing while walking down the street because there are so many professional singers in this city, and you"re afraid you may somehow be judged on that level. But remember, this is for you, not anyone else. And you don"t have to sing loudly when you are singing your blues away in public. Be in touch with your surroundings, but don"t worry too much. Note: I do not recommend singing out loud in public with earphones on. People who sing while listening to music on their iPods are usually clueless about whether or not they might be bothering someone with their off-key snippet of Katy Perry"s â??California Gurls. Not to mention that they also don"t get the benefit of noticing it when a passerby is happy to hear a fellow New Yorker singing. The one place you should not sing, unless you are sure you have a good voice (and even then, only if you are actually busking) is on the subway's or the elevator, or anywhere else people are trapped in a confined space. You don"t want to lower your stress level by raising theirs. However, when you are on the subway platform, and it gets loud as the train is pulling into the station, you can let it rip for a minute or two and no one will hear you. You may find yourself the only one getting on the over-crowded car with a smile on your face. Just yesterday, I was stopped at a light on Broadway, worrying about how I was going to get everything done by Christmas, when I noticed a man next to me singing. It was a song from White Christmas, which happens to be one of my favorite holiday movies. For the next few blocks, I hummed the tune, with not a worry in my head. One of the best things about this time of year is that, if people do hear you singing, you will not be considered a weird extrovert (at least not necessarily!), but merely someone in the holiday spirit. It may brighten their day. They may even join in. So think of it as not only helping yourself but also adding something positive to the vibe in the city. Just try it, OK? I"ll be listening. _ [ Jeanne Martinet](http://JeanneMartinet.com), aka Miss Mingle, is the author of seven books on social interaction. Her latest book is a novel, Etiquette for the End of the World. You can contact her at [JeanneMartinet.com.](http://JeanneMartinet.com)