The sounds we experience on a daily basis affect our moods. For example, the jarring noise of traffic and construction work can make you feel stressed or on edge. While the soothing sound of a rain forest waterfall can relax you and bring your mood back to balance. Sound healing is a form of therapy that uses sounds to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. It is based on ancient sound wisdom that has been lost to modern science until recently.
In the last few decades, researchers have uncovered the power of sound to heal the mind and body. From infrasound, which can break kidney stones to the vibrations that create harmonic resonance in the human voice and chimes that help reduce pain, many forms of sound have powerful health benefits.
While music has long been used for healing, it is sound healing that is on the rise. It’s a growing practice that can be used in conjunction with traditional medicine to enhance your wellness. Sound healing involves a series of frequencies that can be used to clear energetic and emotional blocks, ease stress, improve mood, boost your energy, and more.
According to Simon Heather, a certified sound healing practitioner, all objects, from the ocean waves to your favorite song have a vibratory rate. Each frequency has a different effect on the body.
Sound healing focuses on utilizing specific frequencies that are known to activate the brain’s parasympathetic nervous system which puts the body in relaxation mode instead of stress. It can also activate the body’s natural cellular healing responses which promote healing and relieve pain.
Using instruments such as Tibetan singing bowls, gongs, chimes, rattles, tuning forks, and even the human voice, sound healing practitioners create a musical experience that is a relaxing, meditative journey. This can be done in person or remotely with the use of a virtual sound healing studio.
One way that sound healing can help alleviate pain is by triggering the release of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that opens blood vessels and lowers the heart rate. It can also lower blood pressure at a cellular level.
Another way that sound healing can aid in pain relief is by stimulating the production of ATP which helps cells perform their normal functions. It also opens up blocked ion channels that cause the cell to “fall asleep.”
While it may seem far-fetched, there is scientific evidence to support the power of sound healing. A study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that listening to 30 minutes of live music increased the dopamine levels in the brain, a hormone associated with feelings of happiness and motivation. So, the next time you need a mood boost try listening to your favorite playlist! Or, find a sound healing practitioner and schedule a session. You might be surprised at the difference it can make in your life. What is sound healing