Sue Middleton's blog

"One good thing about music, is when it hits you, you feel no pain."

Judging from the quote above, Bob Marley was part poet, part scientist. That's because there's truth to his head-bobbing lyrics from the song Trenchtown Rock. Research suggests that music not only helps us cope with pain — it can also benefit our physical and mental health in numerous other ways. Read on to learn how listening to tunes can ramp up your health. Read more here...

A composer by the name of Jim Wilson has recorded the sound of crickets and then slowed down the recording, revealing something so amazing: the crickets sound like they are singing the most beautiful chorus in perfect harmony. Though you may think it is human voices, everything you hear in this recording is in-fact crickets themselves!

As Pride of Portland members know, singing together can be an indescribable experience, uniting the chorus in a way that is somehow both exhilarating and calming. And now, scientists have discovered that singing with a group can actually slow down and synchronize the heartbeats of singers!

A team of Swedish researchers led by Björn Vickhoff discovered that this synchronicity can produce a sense of calm that is similar to the effects of yoga. To learn more, click here.

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