From the moment we wake to the hour we fall into a blissful slumber, we’re surrounded by millions of sounds. But imagine a world where sound wasn’t something that you hear but also something you can feel.
A place where vibrations transcend from the tip of your toes to the top of your head, washing away any feelings of stress and leaving you with a sense of deep calmness. This is the power of sound healing therapy.
But what exactly is sound healing therapy? Well, let us tell you. Sit back and take a deep breath as we explain the powerful benefits of sound and the age-old methods used to help individuals find inner peace and healing.
What is sound healing?
Believed to date back to ancient civilisations in Egypt, China, and India, sound healing is a powerful therapy that combines aspects of music to improve our physical and emotional well-being — all in an attempt to gently awaken our mind, body, and soul.
Sound healing sessions (also known as sound baths), are deeply immersive experiences that use sound and simple mindfulness techniques to restore and provide therapeutic effects to the mind and body.
Using specific instruments, music, vocal tones and sonic vibrations, specialised sound frequencies will create a soundscape that fosters deep relaxation and balances your nervous system. This allows for your body to release any pent-up emotions and guides you towards a deeply meditative state. In reaching a theta brainwave state, it’s believed an individual can then access a level of inner wisdom and healing.
How does sound healing work?
The power of sound healing lies in resonance and entertainment.
Resonance is a principle that proposes objects will naturally vibrate at certain frequencies, also known as resonant frequencies.. If another object happens to have a similar frequency, the first object will begin to vibrate in response. Similarly, our organs and body systems have natural vibrational frequencies. In sound therapy, specific tones and sounds can encourage our bodies cells to vibrate at their optimal frequencies. This is said to promote a state of balance within and potentially aiding healing from stress.
The other component of sound healing, entrainment, suggests rhythmic sounds can influence our brainwave patterns, leading to synchronisation. From the steady beat of our hearts to the soft breaths we take each second, our bodies are rhythmically in conjunction with one another. However, when an individual is unwell or stressed, this can disrupt the rhythms — leaving them feeling disconnected or upset. By introducing instruments tuned to specific frequencies that align with different body parts, this can remind cells of their correct frequency and help retune these internal frequencies; which can help manage stress or any disharmony we may be feeling.
Types of sound healing instruments
From rhythmic drumming to the resonant tones of Tibetan singing bowls, sound healing sessions can vary. Some take place with a group or while others are held individually with a trained practitioner — where each person will lie down or sit on a yoga mat or meditation pillow in order to get comfortable.
Here are some of the different types of instruments practitioners may use in a session:
- Tibetan bowls
- Gong baths
- Tuning forks
- Kirtan chanting
- Rainsticks
- Drums
- Chimes
The benefits of sound healing therapy
Sound healing offers a range of potential benefits for both the mind and body. Here are some of the key advantages of incorporating this therapy into your routine:
Relaxation
Sound healing can be deeply calming. Soothing rhythmic sounds and vibrations may help activate the body’s relaxation response, helping your body release “feel good chemicals” such as dopamine and serotonin, and lower stress hormones like cortisol. This can slow the heart rate and promote a sense of peace.
Improved sleep
Certain sound frequencies, particularly slower waves like theta waves, have been linked to promoting deeper and more restful sleep. Sound healing sessions may help with insomnia and sleep disturbances as the soothing waves can promote deeper relaxation, which assists in creating a relaxing environment that prepares your body for better sleep.
Pain management
Studies suggest that sound therapy may help alleviate acute and chronic pain. It has been observed that when this stimulation is done regularly, parts of the brain are reconnected and chronic pain signals become weaker. Sound meditation is also thought to stimulate circulation, promote tissue and cell healing, and provide pain relief for those suffering with pain conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia.
Reduced anxiety and stress
For those with feelings of anxiety, stress, tension, and depression, sound healing can significantly increase feelings of spiritual well-being. The vibrations from healing instruments can permeate through our bodies and can open, clear, and balance the chakras — while also releasing any trapped energy. A study from the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) found that sound healing sessions substantially reduce stress, anxiety levels and improved participants’ mental health.
Finding peace of mind
If you are thinking of trying sound therapy, it is important that you attend sessions that are hosted by a qualified practitioner. Otherwise, you run the risk of adding more stress to your life — especially if you visit a studio that lacks adequate knowledge and expert techniques.
Furthermore, while sound healing therapy has relatively low risks, incidents can happen. If you own your own studio or you’re interested in becoming a sound healing therapist, it’s important that you keep your own peace of mind by protecting yourself with sound healing insurance.
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