Rail delays? Close your eyes and hum a tune

SUGGESTING to delayed commuters that they hum in harmony to calm down would be seen by most as risky, at best. But humming is exactly what stressed Londoners are being urged to do to.

Composer Sergio Lopez Figueroa, 50, runs sessions across the city where people with anxiety stand in a group, close their eyes and hum a tune, as part of his Humming in Harmony project.

“It is soothing and relaxing — and has similar meditative properties to the chanting monks do,” Mr Figueroa said. “But with the group sessions you are connecting to people in a very different way so it improves social wellbeing.” The musician, who lives in Harrow with hi s daughter, 11, was going through difficulties several years ago, including an eviction. “Everything was so stressful and it was difficult finding a place suitable f o r me a n d my daughter. I was listening to a lot of calming music like Bach and humming along and realised how relaxed humming made me feel,” he said.

He attended a wellbeing conference in 2012 where humming sessions were held and researched the benefits. Last year, he started running sessions at the Westminster Music Library. His project has recently been given funding by the Esmée Fairbairn and Sheila McKechnie foundations and on Saturday he will put on a free session at the Southbank Centre for its Change Makers project.

The Mental Health Foundation said: “If people can find an outlet to escape from the stresses of life, that works for them and brings them together with other people, that can only be a good thing.”