The Science of Sound Healing
I was recently talking to a group of people about sound baths, when one of them asked “what does it do, what are the benefits?”. Someone who’s experienced them, answered “It just really relaxing and calming”, another said “It’s ace”.
So, I thought why not do a bit of a deeper dive into sound baths… What is actually going on, how they might be experienced, and what benefits they can bring ?
Biology of Sound
The biology behind sound is pretty complex, so I’ll try and break it down a bit. In terms of hearing, sound is emitted in waves, and these waves send vibrations to the inner ear. Different hair cells in the cochlea, respond Ito different frequencies. These create electrical impulse signals, then carried via the auditory nerve, to the brain. And the brain decodes the sounds.
All matter produces vibrational sound, audible and inaudible. As well as through hearing, vibrations are also transmitted the skin, fluid and bones. Our whole bodies are receptive. Water conducts sound 4-5 times faster than air, and bones are also very conducive. Drs can detect where breaks are in a bone, using a tuning fork, for example.
There are frequencies that are too high (Ultrasonic), or too low (Infrasonic) for our ears, but that are registered as vibrations by our nervous systems. Medical ultrasound scans were first discovered in the 50’s, and because we see a visual image, we tend to forget they are just sound waves. When these hit something denser, they bounce back. The shades of grey in the imaging reflect the different densities.
Ultrasound can also be useful in physiotherapy, to increase blood flow and collagen production. Magnetic Resonance Ultrasounds are now being developed for focused treatment of fibroids and tumours. And there is Infrasonic treatment for breaking down bladder, and gall stones.
Recent research (Biomedical Sciences at Colombia University) shows audible and inaudible sound is picked up to a cellular level. Primary cillia (hairs) are receptive to different vibrational energy fields, which then alter the proteins, causing the cell to change shape. This research is being used to investigate different sound based treatment for diseases such as, arthritis, polycystic kidney disease, heart failure and cancer.
You may also be aware of apps and music designed to calm you, with beats at particular frequencies to activate certain brainwaves, to aid meditation and sleep. In yoga ‘mantras’ (sounds, words, phrases) have been used for thousands of years to aid meditation and for therapeutic purposes.
This is where ancient Vedic science meets modern western medicine.
Sound Baths
The vibrations of sound healing instruments penetrate deep into the tissues. This therapeutic use of sound, with meditation can…
Improve blood circulation and metabolism
Regulate muscle tension and deeply stimulate the tissue.
Assist recovery from illness, via stimulating the systems for regeneration and repair.
Ease anxiety and depression
Bring greater self-awareness, leading to psychological expansion
The oscillation, or resonance, of molecules, triggered by the sound vibrations, cause alternating compression and relaxation of cells. It is, in effect, a form of massage at a cellular level, deep within the tissue.
Sound healing is both activating and relaxing – so it can also have a refreshing effect. Many people find it very relaxing, some will fall asleep! But how it effects you is very much a personal thing, different people will feel differently, on different days. There is no right or wrong way to experience a sound bath.
The instruments are tuned to various tones / frequencies, but they are very organic in nature. They can seemingly create sounds from nowhere, and harmonise with, or bounce off, each other, in a multitude of ways. Therefore, no 2 sound baths are really the same, and we often say the instruments almost play themselves.
Come and see how it is for you !