Sound Healing: Should You Try It Out?

by: Naturally Immune | October 7, 2022

There’s nothing surprising about the surging popularity of sound healing. With burnout and stress at an all-time high, people are naturally drawn to relaxation techniques and therapies, and are willing to try anything new.

And we have to admit, the thought of lying down on a mat and listening to soothing vibrations for an hour sounds, pun intended, downright appealing. Likened to immersing in water, it involves washing yourself in sound to reach a relaxed and meditative state. Hence, the name “sound bathing” or “sound bath.”

But besides the novelty of it and being endorsed by celebrities like Charlize Theron and the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, is sound healing well worth the hype? And as its name professes, can it really heal anything? Here’s everything you need to know.

Sound healing has an ancient origin

Though sound healing gained popularity in recent years, it’s actually an ancient practice. The first-known sound healers are the indigenous Australians, who used a wind instrument called “didgeridoo” 40,000 years ago. Tibetans monks used singing bowls for spiritual and healing ceremonies. They believed the vibrations were the sounds of the universe manifesting. As well, Chinese Qigong employed chants, mantras, and other sounds to stimulate specific organ systems in the body.

The same principles guide the modern sound healing as we know today. Through using a mix of instruments like gongs, Tibetan singing bowls, chimes, and even tuning forks, sound healing is said to help with a variety of ailments, including lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, reducing respiratory rate, removing toxins, and even improving the immune system.

When sound healing first rose in the public eye, in late 2019, a lot of eyebrows were raised. People were skeptical over this woo-woo and New Agey-sounding therapy. But there’s actually some science to back it up.

How sound healing works (the parasympathetic state)

As people, we have unique vibrations. But when we’re exposed to healing sounds or soothing vibrations, our brains match up and synchronize with the soothing frequencies from therapeutic-grade instruments.

With two vibrating entities next to each other, “the stronger vibration will affect the weaker one,” explains Dr. David Perez-Martinez, a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and sound healing practitioner from New York interviewed by SHAPE. Sound therapists or sound healers call this synching process, entrainment.

Further, sound healing puts the body in a parasympathetic state. Through the ear, the sounds or the vibrations connect to the vagus nerve, the major parasympathetic nerve in the body.

The parasympathetic nervous system controls the body’s ability to relax, or the rest and digest state. This is the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system that triggers the fight-and-flight response causing stress.

When the healing sounds enter our ears and brains, we are put in a relaxed state, affecting us both on emotional and physiological levels.

Said Dr. Martinez, “it increases antibody production for better immunity, it also helps decrease cortisol, which helps you decrease high blood pressure.”

Further, he said the healing sounds increase alpha and theta waves, which causes us to be more alert during the day, and be more relaxed when we need to relax, enabling healing. Let’s backtrack a little bit here: alpha, theta waves? What does all this mean?

The science of brainwaves

Psychoacoustics is the science of how humans perceive and register sound. This has fueled researchers to study how sound can be used to treat medical conditions.

Psychoacoustic scientists posit that our brains are electrical, composed of electrical pulses that interact with neurons, affecting our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Electrical activity in the brain is displayed in the form of brain waves, or rhythmic, repetitive frequencies. An instrument called electroencephalogram (EEG) is used to measure these rhythms.

Here are the 5 brainwave states, or 5 different bandwidths that are thought to form a spectrum of human consciousness.

Gamma brain waves (Frequency: 32-100 Hz)

Fastest measurable EEG brainwaves, associated with heightened perception, or peak mental state. Observed long-term in meditating monks.

Beta brain waves (Frequency: 13-32 Hz)

Beta is the usual state we’re in when we’re working. Associated with active thinking, “doing mode,” decision-making, problem-solving, and learning new concepts, we spend most of our waking time in this state.

Alpha brain waves (Frequency: 8-13 Hz)

This is the state during yoga or meditation, or just before falling asleep, and being creative or artistic. During a sound bath, you will first achieve an alpha brain wave state, before moving on to theta and delta. You’ll feel physically and mentally relaxed.

Theta brain waves (Frequency: 4-8 Hz)

Theta brain waves are activated when in deep insight, deep meditation, daydreaming, and dreaming in our sleep.

Delta brain waves (Frequency: 0, 5-4 Hz)

Compared to gamma brain waves, delta is the slowest to achieve. Dreamless, restorative sleep, this is also the state where healing and rejuvenation are stimulated. This is why it’s important to get enough quality sleep every night.

The miracle tone

Then, there’s the miracle tone. According to internationally-recognized sound bath practitioner, Ana Netanel of Shakti Soundbath (interviewed by Shondaland), the healing power of sound is in the miracle tone of 432 hertz.

When instruments are tuned to this miracle tone, sound healers say it can align and balance the chakras, and heal the body on a cellular level.

Said Netanel when she was interviewed in Shondaland, “432 hertz is a special vibration of peace and love.” It can heal emotional trauma, clear energetic blocks, and enable healing in patients, even those dealing with cancer, according to Netanel.

The power of Om

We’ve all heard of Om. It’s the mantra that’s traditionally chanted at the start and end of a yoga session. But what is its connection to sound healing? Let’s get to know Solfeggio frequencies first.

Solfeggio frequencies go way back to ancient history, used by both Western Christianity and Eastern Indian regions, chanted by the Gregorian monks, and in ancient Sanskrit chants. Solfeggio frequencies are said to stimulate healing and promote vitality.

Om is a Solfeggio tone, at 7.83 Hz, the measurable frequency around the Earth. The theory is that when our bodies are unhinged and unbalanced, it is searching for this note, the Om.

To prove that Solfeggio frequencies have scientific basis, a graduate student from the American College of Healthcare Sciences embarked on finding out how these frequencies can be an effective tool in healing generational trauma, and PTSD. Through compiling and analyzing information from a book, journals, and websites, she concluded that sound healing can be used successfully to treat anxiety, PTSD, and even physical illnesses. Read the study HERE.

A word on sound healing

Like most alternative or holistic wellness treatments, a word of caution is necessary. Most doctors won’t prohibit you from trying sound healing, but will emphasize it shouldn’t be used to replace medications and other prescribed medical treatments.

But there are medical doctors who will prescribe an integrative approach. For example, Mitchell Gaynor was an oncologist and clinical professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York. She’s also one of sound healing’s staunchest mainstream advocates.

According to QZ.com, Gaynor encouraged sound therapy alongside conventional medicine, arguing that relaxed patients have lower stress hormones, stronger immune systems, and better tools to cope with their disease’s psychological and physical effects

How can you start and what to expect

Look for classes available near your locality. Check out the calendars of your local yoga studios and holistic wellness centers. Try searching for group classes in social apps too.

Not into face-to-face group classes? Then look for sound healers or therapists and message them for a one-on-one, whether face-to-face or via Zoom.

If you’re still on the fence, might we suggest you start with a sound bath video on YouTube? Of course, the experience won’t be the same, but something is better than nothing.

In a face-to-face sound bath, it will unfold much like a yoga class. You’ll be asked to sit or lie down on mats, and close your eyes. The mats are intentionally thin so you can feel the vibrations from the ground.

The first 15 minutes would be breath work, followed by the sound bath proper. Depending on the style of the instructor, he can solely play the instruments, or choose to do a guided meditation, or vocalize mantras or affirmations.

Unlike yoga, which will require you to do a series of poses, sound bath asks little to almost nothing from the participants.

All of you have to do is to keep an open mind, listen, and let yourself bathe in sound.

Sound Healing: Should You Try It Out?

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