From lowering stress levels to supporting your immune system, harnessing the power of sound can bring wellbeing benefits
WORDS: HILARY BODDIE PICTURES: SHUTTERSTOCK
What Is Sound Healing?
Sound can be powerfully therapeutic. Whether it’s listening to calming music to help you drift off at night or putting on uplifting beats to help motivate you as you exercise – listening to certain sounds can be hugely influential. No wonder the therapy of sound healing has been found to have many wellness benefits.
“Sound healing is a holistic practice that uses therapeutic sound to help quieten the mind, relax the body and allow deep rest,” explains sound therapist Farzana Ali, author of Sound Healing: How To Use Sound To Beat Stress And Anxiety.
“Sound healing sessions are called ‘sound baths’ as the sound is said to wash over you.
“Therapeutic-grade instruments such as singing bowls, drums, gongs, monochords and shruti boxes are played to slow down your brainwaves, activating your parasympathetic nervous system, allowing you to rest and digest, the opposite to the fight or flight response.”
Similar to the use of breath in meditation, the sound frequencies slow down the heart rate, and even the brainwaves, to a restorative state which helps activate the body’s healing system.
“Your brainwaves sync to the slower soundwaves produced by the instruments, which allows both your mind and body to become fully relaxed,” adds Farzana.
The Benefits
Research has linked music and sound healing to a number of benefits, from lowering stress and anxiety levels to supporting immune function.
“Over time, feeling more rested and relaxed helps reduce anxiety, promotes better sleep, and improves emotional health and nervous system regulation,” says Farzana.
A 2017 study found that sound baths not only help reduce tension, anxiety and depression, they also helped reduce perception of pain.
Sound healing is also an effective way of stimulating the vagus nerve, our longest nerve which starts at the base of the neck and runs down the entire body, connecting multiple organs. This important nerve contains around 75% of the parasympathetic nervous system and controls our digestion, immune function and heart rate.
As soothing vibrations enter your ear canal, they stimulate your vagus nerve which then sends vibrations to your internal organs, inhibiting the release of cortisol and adrena
