Comfort and joy Why singing is so good for your health and wellbeing

For the Columbia Road carol service in Bethnal Green, east London, the power of TikTok proved too much.

- Ian Sample

After footage of December's first F singalong went viral, thousands turned up to ding dong merrily, forcing organisers to scrap the events over fears for public safety.

The cobbled street's Victorian charm has always drawn the crowds, but the carol service has become an extraordinary seasonal hit. The success mirrors the nation's rediscovered enthusiasm for group singing, a trend that follows the rise of the TV choirmaster Gareth Malone and the increasing popularity of Rock Choir and Popchoir.

People have been interested for centuries in what draws people to singing, and the benefits it brings. But only in the past few decades has the evidence come together on how and why singing improves health and wellbeing. "This is a really burgeoning topic," says Daisy Fancourt, a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London. "And in recent years, there's been a real elucidation of the mechanisms."

Singing has brought humans together, and driven social bonding, since our early history. Over the course of human evolution, the activation of endorphins, which creates a sense of contentment and peace with the world, emerged as a primary means to bond large communities.