Sound baths are an easy-to-do form of therapy that’s been found to offer emotional, spiritual, and physical benefits.
Picture a scene of elephants hearing sounds from Himalayan singing bowls played near them and becoming more relaxed during medical procedures and operations such as foot care, eye checks, skin care, and even blood draws. As amazing as it seems, scenes documenting this at the Patara Elephant Farm, a health recovery and reproduction management farm for elephants in Thailand, can be seen in the 2021 film “Going Om: An Exploration of Sound, Vibration, Energy and Wellness.”
“When we saw this with the elephants, that’s what really got me interested in making the movie,” the film’s director, Christina Grozik, said.
What Is a Sound Bath?
A sound bath is one type of sound healing, a practice that uses sound vibrations to relax the mind and body. During a sound bath, which is sometimes called a sound meditation, participants typically recline on the floor or on a massage table, or sit, while a facilitator or practitioner plays a variety of sounds with various musical instruments. The most popular instruments used for a sound bath are Himalayan (also called Tibetan) singing bowls, quartz crystal singing bowls, gongs, bells, and chimes, but harps, Native American flutes, drums, or other instruments can also be used.Participants close their eyes and listen. They “bathe” in the sound, and they often feel the vibrations of the sounds from the instruments inside their bodies.
Focusing on the sound keeps the mind occupied, so many people find it easier to relax, to quiet an overactive, worrying mind, and to even meditate, than when there is no sound at all.
Stress can impair the immune system and cognitive function, and increase the risk for chronic disease. It also has been linked to numerous health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, addiction, and mental health issues.
When we’re stressed, there is overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system (known as the fight-or-flight response) and decreased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system (known as the rest-and-digest state).
Meditation has demonstrated a significant positive impact on the nervous system, increasing the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, and thereby reducing overall stress. But a common complaint is the time, patience, and discipline required to learn and practice meditation. An easy, passive form of relaxation and stress relief that doesn’t require a steep learning curve or hardly any discipline could greatly benefit human health and well-being.
Health Benefits of Sound Baths
Though there isn’t extensive research on the health effects of sound baths, in four studies and one study review, sound baths have been shown to provide a variety of emotional, spiritual, and physical health benefits. Details and results from each study follow.The sound meditation used a range of Tibetan singing bowls, crystal singing bowls, gongs, bells, and didgeridoos. The main instrument used was the singing bowls for 95 percent of the session. People who had never before done sound baths experienced significantly less tension and anxiety afterward compared with individuals who had done sound baths before.
The Physics and Biophysics of Sound Baths
In an article on the physics and biophysics of sound healing, neuroscientist and biophysicist William Softky, who spent his career studying the mathematical theory of how fluid brains interact with vibrating bodies, explained that “coherent sound patterns can help nervous systems ’tune' themselves, in the same general way tuning-forks help experts tune pianos or harps.”He further explained that the nervous systems of our Paleolithic ancestors calibrated themselves well when the outdoor environment was simple and natural. But with all the sounds coming from our outside world today, including sounds we call “noise pollution” as well as artificial sounds we call “entertainment” and “connection,” our delicate vibration-managing nervous systems can become de-calibrated.
“The solution to mental misery created by a de-calibrating sonic environment is to return to a calibrating one, such as a sound bath,” Softky writes.
A sound bath is an antidote to media overload—an easy way to unplug from our cellphones and other electronic devices, slow down, and listen to healing sounds that allow the body to de-stress and become relaxed enough to more easily heal itself.
To sample a sound bath that offers some relaxing effects in the comfort of your own home, search for sound bath or sound bath meditation on YouTube, and play a video that appeals to you.
Shut your eyes, focus on your breath, and listen. We are all unique vibrational beings, so if you don’t like one, experiment with other sound baths made with different kinds of instruments to see which ones help you feel your best.
If there are a lot of other noises around you, you may want to wear headphones that can block out other noises.
To hear the sound better and experience the full-body feeling of absorbing the vibrations, try a live, in-person sound bath—either a group sound bath or an individualized sound bath—from a sound healing therapist in your area.
A caveat: If you have epilepsy, a diagnosed psychosis, a pacemaker, artificial valves, or metal parts due to any surgery inside the body, check with your doctor first before trying an in-person sound bath or other types of in-person sound therapy.
The format, length, and location of a sound bath can vary widely. It can last for five to 10 minutes to a few hours, but typically lasts about an hour.
A sound bath also can take place in various spaces, including meditation or yoga centers and sound practitioners’ offices. Outdoor sound baths can be held in gardens or parks.
It’s important to wear comfortable clothes and to take note of what to bring in the listings or ads for each type of in-person sound bath. Depending on the location of the sound bath, practitioners often encourage participants to bring a yoga mat, blanket, pillow, eye pillow, or folding chair, and a bottle of water to hydrate as needed.
For the greatest effect, clear your schedule before and especially after “soaking” in a sound bath to extend the benefits of feeling relaxed, serene, and tranquil.
Sources
3 The Emerging Art of Sound Meditation interview with Lynda Arnold, hosted by Phyllis Anne Douglas. 2021 Online Sound Healing Summit by The Shift Network, Aug. 10, 2021.
6 AER Care Center LLC, Tucson, AZ. Stress Less/Sound Therapy brochure, 2022.
7 The Emerging Art of Sound Meditation interview. Op cit.
