It is now becoming a well known fact that singing is good for your health,  both physically and mentally. It expands your lungs, it releases stress and anxiety- especially when in a group setting; and just generally increases your emotional well being. There is a great deal of research out there about it- even with claims that it is good for your heart. 

This was brought home to me recently by a fellow choir member (in Bath Community Gospel Choir). She has spent the last couple of years battling with breast cancer and has found that by continuing to attend rehearsals whenever she could, it has increased her coping skills; so much so that another member wrote an article about her in her magazine “Woman Alive” http://www.womanalive.co.uk