THE HEALING BENEFITS OF SOUND & MUSIC: Enhancing Mood, Energy & Well-Being

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind,

flight to the imagination and life to everything.

-Plato

Whether we travel around the world or back in time, we will find music. Music has been known to capture a mood, punctuate an experience, stamp a time! Music plays an integral role in our everyday lives. It knows no age, time, or cultural bounds. It has a distinct and unique ability to evoke emotions, trigger memories, and magnify social experiences. This can be a high-school dance, beach party, cross-country drive, graduation, wedding, or any other memorable event.

Music evokes and often intensifies emotions. It creates a sensory experience that brings us back in time, recalling memories otherwise long forgotten. While interest in music is universal, musical taste, is an individual experience, which is heavily generationally and culturally influenced. Depending on the type of music we are listening to, we can feel energized, mellow, happy, sad, nostalgic, aroused, loving, angry, powerful, peaceful and/or a combination of any of these emotions. But, what is music, exactly? Music, simply stated, is a sequence of coordinated sounds.

We live in a world of sound. Music, voices, nature and other sources of sound surround us in our daily lives. Long and sustained sounds tend to be experienced as soothing, while sharp and abrupt sounds typically trigger alertness and alarm.

"I can't live one day without

hearing music,

playing it,

studying it,

or thinking about it."

-Leonard Bernstein

THE SOUNDS OF HOLLYWOOD

Filmmakers manipulate our emotions with the power of sound. Audio, strategically layered, affects visceral reactions and the contextual information the viewer is able to comprehend about a film’s subject matter. Just bring to mind the movie Jaws or Psycho.

Immediately, almost everyone, connects with and recalls the unmistakable and ominous sound of the shark in the water or the horrifying, repetitive shriek used in the infamous shower scene. The soundtrack is often as important as the story, cinematography, dialogue, script and direction. Without their signature sound effects and/or music, many films would lose their magic. Sound evokes an emotion; an effect. If it didn’t, Hollywood would have little to no interest in its investment and inclusion.

YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC

Our capacity to enjoy and create music is a ubiquitous human trait. The why behind this power remains, to some degree, a mystery. Connecting music to health and well-being has largely relied on anecdotal reporting. However, in recent times, researchers have taken a closer, and more scientific, look at the importance of music and sound. Sounds produce vibrations that alter brain waves. Most of us naturally tap our feet or move our body when listening to a particular type of music, demonstrating how the body naturally or organically interprets tunes. Connecting our brain to different parts of our head, neck and trunk are the cranial nerves. For the purpose of this article, we are most interested in the tenth cranial nerve; the vagus nerve. It communicates information from the ear canal, which contains the vestibulocochlear nerve, and parts of the throat. The throat plays an important role in the calming of the nervous system.

THE VAGUS NERVE

By just simply humming, whether a tune or the equivalent of the Om mantra (familiar to yoga practitioners), the vagus nerve will be stimulated. Since it is the fundamental regulator of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), its stimulation is directly associated with the achievement of relaxation.

The PNS is responsible for bringing a state of restorative calmness, and through the innervation of the vagus nerve, it releases an assortment of hormones and enzymes that directly link to the enhancement of immune functioning.

Guided meditations, when well-produced, create a perfect symmetry of sound, through the use of healing sound tools, music, and a soothing relaxing voice inviting us to breathe and become present. Most report feeling a sense of rejuvenation and tranquility after listening for just 15 minutes. Add a breathing practice and an essential oil, such as the scent of lavender, and we now have created an ultimate in relaxation, second only to the natural sounds and smells found in nature (ocean, forest, mountains, etc.). While deep, diaphragmic breathing is one of the fastest ways to influence our nervous systems and restore our body to calm by stimulating our vagus nerve to slow down from our typical 10-14 breaths per minute to 5-7, adding healing sounds can maximize this benefit.

In modern times, the culmination of chronic stress results in burn-out, adrenal gland depletion, and a compromised immune system. Rarely, however, is music or sound healing mentioned as a remedy. Readily available and easily accessible, within minutes, we can feel better. Feeling better aligns us on the path toward health.

NOT SO "NEW"

Considered ‘new age’ and not scientifically rooted, it gets little to no attention or respect. As with many treatments considered ‘new-age,’ sound healing is actually deeply rooted in ancient history. Whereas everyone is familiar with music, few know about the profound healing benefits of sound, which involves the utilization of sacred instruments or voice to evoke well-being. Vibrations such as those produced by gongs, singing bowls, and tuning forks help to relax the mind and body.

Drumming is another popular sound with long roots. Drums have been therapeutically used in almost every culturefor the purpose of ceremonial rituals, as well as communication and signaling. Drums are associated with inducing a trance-like state. Whether we are drumming or listening to the sound of drums, research has documented the physical transmission of sound or energy to the brain synchronizing both hemispheres.

Another healing sound is the sound of the human voice. There is no dearth of psychological research documenting the therapeutic value of the human voice. Certain cues in speech, known as paralinguistic elements, are more important than others when it comes to generating particular emotions in the listener. Therapists, yoga teachers, and healers understand its importance when delivering a message. One cannot overestimate the power, energy, and inspiration of a pleasing human voice, speaking with wisdom and empathic understanding.

Centuries ago, people understood that sounds have the potential to create calm and serenity. The ancient Greeks used music as a treatment for mental disorders, and believed in its healing benefits to the body, as did the ancient Egyptians, Aborigines in Australia and Tibetan monks. Gregorian chants, used in Christian liturgy, uses the solfeggio frequencies, which was believed to lift chanters and listeners to a higher realm of consciousness and enlightenment.

The good news is that the integration of music and sound therapy in our daily lives is a fairly easy way to instantly feel better. Although chronic stress and its debilitating effects will not be remedied by one simple intervention and require a holistic and functional analysis of our lives, incorporating a few minutes per day of music and/or sound therapy is an effortless step toward progress. Feeling even a little better increases the likelihood we will attempt to tackle the more significant challenges in our lives.

THE DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION

The doctor’s prescription in the future, inspired by medicine from the past, may involve 15 (or more) minutes of healing music, as needed per day. The music is of our choosing. This daily practice has been known to reduce blood pressure, pain, and stress levels. It also assists in reducing anxious and ruminative thoughts, as well as compulsive behaviors. Documented side-effects include improved focus, concentration, and immune function. While the power of sound and music has been well documented, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions and should never replace responsible medical care. However, music beautifully supports a medical regimen for healing.

Create a playlist, purchase a singing bowl, chant a mantra, sing a song, sit back, relax, and let the music play.

The information presented in this blog is intended for general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. As with most things in life, there isn't a magic pill or "cure-all" but there are strategies to help regain control of your life.