“Everything in life is vibration” – Albert Einstein
The power of sound healing is real! Hearing sounds or vibrations is a form of therapy and listening to various sounds can actually help us to heal.
In the opposite way, loud noise from our environment can make us tense and overwhelmed. Too much of the wrong type of sound can cause stress, but sound itself can be incredible healing.
Sound in the form of music, chanting, toning, vibration, frequency, binaural beats has been used in Ayurveda and other forms of holistic medicine for centuries to help with healing.
The power of sound therapy is great for:
- Better physical and mental health
- Stress management
- Pain management
- Sleep disorders
The Power of Sound Healing
We Experience Sound with Our Entire Body
When we think of sound, we think of hearing. Our bodies do take in sound by listening, but that’s not the only way we experience sound.
Sound vibrations can be felt with the entire body. Our brain waves can even synch to the vibrations of sound. In essence, we can feel sound as well as hear it.
Our bodies are made of vibrating energy. Our bodies are also made mostly of water which is an excellent conductor of energy.
When our bodies are out of synch, they may vibrate too low which is attributed to dis-ease in the body.
Health and happiness are attributed to higher vibration. Sound can be used to help the body recalibrate and come back into harmony.
What is Sound Healing?
Sound can be used in a variety of ways to promote healing. You’ve likely used a good playlist to boost your mood, but did you know pure sounds can help you too?
Ancient Greeks believed sound could improve mental health and heal the body. While sound healing isn’t as mainstream as it was in ancient times, awareness is growing about the practice of sound healing.
Some types of sound healing include-
Tibetan Bowls
You may be aware of Tibetan bowls as a new-age musical instrument. They are often used in religious practices as an accompaniment to chanting and meditation. Their sounds are incredibly soothing and come in a variety of frequencies.
The sound quality of Tibetan bowls makes them useful for sound healing whereby a practitioner helps the brainwaves synchronize with the resonance of the bowls. This is helpful to reduce the effects of PTSD, anxiety, and other stress disorders.
Bathing in Sound
Sound baths are an ancient Asian healing practice. The term ‘bath’ refers to bathing in the sound waves that react in vibration with the water composition of our bodies. Gongs are often used for sound baths which are said to be a sound-massage for the body.
Chanting
Chanting has many forms and can be done individually or in group settings. It is said to help the body slow down the mind, improving breathing, and build a connection with the present moment.
Chanting can be expressed through mantras or simple phrases like ‘Om.’ The Om chant is linked to lowering blood pressure, improve circulation, and stabilize the heart rate.
Sound can be used to heal the mind and body. Synchronizing the vibration of our bodies with the healthy vibration of sound can reduce dis-ease and promote a health mind and body connection.
Using Colored Noise for Health and Wellbeing
If you enjoy the sound of a fan or air conditioner running in the background while you sleep, you’re likely familiar with the benefits of white noise.
White noise generates sound that includes all the frequencies across the spectrum of what our ears can hear. It’s useful for drowning out other noise, especially when we want to sleep.
While most people are familiar with white noise, many aren’t aware there is a rainbow of colored noise waiting to boost our wellbeing.
In fact, sometimes white noise isn’t helpful at all because it’s too…noisy. Another color noise may be just what’s needed to boost health and wellbeing.
Choose the Color that Works Best for You
Colored noise serves different purposes. From aiding with sleep, diminishing issues like tinnitus, or helping stay focused, there’s a color that resonates with everyone. The most common colored noises are white, pink, brown, blue, grey and violet.
White Noise
White noise is the most commonly known colored noise. The static sound people associate with a blank television screen is known as ‘white noise'. White noise is considered “white” because in the same way the color white encompasses all the colors, white noise encompasses all the sounds audible to our ears.
White noise helps block out other noises which can reduce the symptoms of tinnitus and help with falling asleep.
Pink Noise
Pink noise is often preferable to white noise as the frequency is lower. For some, white noise can be a bit too high-pitched and loud. Pink noise is often a softer but effective frequency to help with falling asleep.
Brown Noise
Brown, or brownian, noise has deeper tones which makes it more appealing to some people. White noise has a higher frequency whereas brown noise is much lower which can make it appealing for studying or helping to stay in deeper sleep.
Blue, Grey, and Violet Noise
Blue, grey and violet noise are high-frequency and can be too much for most people; however, they can help reduce the impact if tinnitus which can be debilitating for some people.
It’s easy to see which color is best for your unique needs. Most people have an instant reaction when they hear a specific colored noise and feel relief or resistance. Try a variety and see what resonates with your body.
Best Resources for Accessing Colored Noise
You can find colored noise in a variety of places. Sound machines are one of the most common sources for colored noise. Some imitate the sounds of nature in addition to specific frequencies or ‘colors.’
Apps are available to create customized colored noise. Apps like Octave-Band Colored Noise make it possible to create your own unique colored noise to use in the background while working or for better sleep.
Sources like YouTube also have a wide variety of looping colored noise options that run as much as twelve or more hours at a time. Using YouTube can be a great way to explore a variety of colored noises for free.
Sound Therapy Reduces Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Dealing with anxiety and panic attacks can be debilitating.
Anxiety is an emotional response to real and perceived stress. Stress is a normal part of life, but anxiety is different from routine stress. It’s typical to worry over problems with work or difficult relationships, but once the issues at hand are resolved, stress usually resolves.
Anxiety is the persistent worry over things that may or may not happen, which can make it harder to handle.
Managing anxiety can be tricky. Depending on the frequency and intensity, you may need to develop a variety of techniques to deal with it.
Some helpful techniques can include:
- Consistent exercise
- Eating healthy food
- Yoga
- Massage therapy
- Alternate nostril Breathing exercise
- Aromatherapy / Essential oil
- CBD infused products
Anxiety Makes it Hard to Regulate Emotions
The persistent worry caused by anxiety can make it difficult to regulate emotions. Finding a state of calm can be nearly impossible when you’re feeling intense emotions like fear.
Overwhelm can be reduced through deep breathing, clearing your mind, and releasing anxiety-inducing thoughts, but that can be hard to do when anxiety is high or during a panic attack.
Meditation can help clear the mind, but it requires a level of discipline that’s hard to maintain with anxiety. Using sound can help the mind similarly to meditation, but in a passive way. While meditation uses our minds from the inside outward, sound can heal from the outside, inward.
Binaural Beats Help Reduce Anxiety
The two hemispheres of your brain receive sound at different frequencies. Essentially, you hear differently with each ear. Your brain senses the difference and makes up for it subconsciously with a binaural beat.
The brain also has a variety of states of consciousness, Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta. Worry and anxiety happen in the Beta state. By using sound to influence binaural beats in the brain, you can shift out of the Beta state and find relief from anxiety and panic.
Find the Beat that Works Best for Your Anxiety
You can purchase binaural beat music wherever music is sold or you can access free music on sources like YouTube. Try sounds at different frequencies to see which works best for you.
Some people use binaural beat music when they fall asleep and others use it for twenty-minute breaks throughout the day or whenever anxiety or panic flare up. See what works best for your unique needs and add binaural beat sound therapy to your anti-anxiety tool kit.
3 Fun Facts About Sound and Memory Care
Sound could be the key that unlocks the door to memory. From the cradle to the grave, music and sound play an important role in our ability to create and hold onto memories. Every stage of life benefits from sound starting with developing speech as a baby, to gaining the competitive edge in our career, to staving off the effects of dementia as we grow older.
Fact: Children learn best when sounds have meaning
Children’s brains are constantly searching for the meaning behind the sounds they hear. Associating an activity with specific sounds helps children learn and retain more in their memory. Some of the best ways to help children retain what they hear include-
- Reading out loud to children
- Playing musical instruments
- Learning a second (or more) language
When children make a direct connection between the sounds they hear and their intended activity, it helps their brains form better connections and establish their relationship. This means it’s a good idea to reduce unnecessary noise like background noise.
If a child is at play, and the television is on in the background, the brain may have a harder time processing how the extra noise fits into their play which can result in learning less during the activity.
Fact: Music and sound give you a competitive edge
Studies show that music or specific sounds engage both hemispheres of the brain which can maximize learning and memory. Classical music can help reduce studying stress as well as test anxiety.
Music can pump you up and boost esteem which may be important before a big meeting or job interview. Sound can also improve physical stamina and the ability to cope with mentally taxing physical labor.
Music and sound can be used to unwind, or relieve stress and anxiety after a difficult workday or stressful experience.
Fact: Music and sound can improve memory care in relationship to dementia
Cognitive deficits are on the rise. Alzheimer’s is the most recognized memory-related illness, but there are other forms of dementia too. Studies show that nearly 37% of people over the age of 85 are living with the effects of dementia. Dementia is a degenerative disease that robs people of their memory, behavior, and cognition.
Music and sound are beneficial for people suffering from dementia. In some cases, non-verbal people recognize music and begin to sing, even after significant memory loss.
Memory care patients also experience fewer behavioral outbursts when ambient sounds of nature are in the background.
Sound helps everyone from children to the elderly. Using music and sound to connect the dots between what’s being heard and what’s being remembered helps children learn, adults thrive, and the elderly stay mentally healthy.
Conclusion of How Sounds Help Relax and Heal
Have you ever tried sound healing? If not, it might be something to consider.
Sound therapy has been shown to synchronize the mind and body, reduce anxiety and panic attacks, improve sleep quality, and even promote memory care. What’s more, this type of therapy is enjoyable and relaxing.
You can start using sound therapy today by incorporating some soothing sounds into your daily routine. Whether you choose a complete vibrational therapy system or just listen to calming music or use noise-cancelling headphones while you work, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the benefits of sound healing.
