Can Sound Really Heal Your Body From Pain & Disease?

The use of sound to heal disease has been documented since time immemorial in ancient Indian, Chinese and Greek texts.

Sound is also practiced in Yoga through mantras, chanting and pranayama (breath), which are used to change the state of your consciousness.

Most ancient medical traditions are based on a holistic approach that focuses on restoring harmony between body, mind and spirit or soul. The Sanskrit word "Ayurveda" can be translated as "knowledge of life" ("ayus" = life and "veda" = "knowledge")

All of this seems a long way away from the modern Western method of treating disease, which is to manage or suppress individual symptoms so the person feels better. A disconnection between physical and mental health is common, and emotional or spiritual health is rarely acknowledged in conventional medicine. 

But is modern science coming back round to what ancient peoples already intuitively knew?

The Science of Sound

Sound is a form of mechanical energy which can converted into other forms of energy or electricity. Sound waves can travel through molecular mediums, such as air, water and solid materials.

Sound waves have different frequencies which can be heard as notes or pitch. Sound frequencies are measured in Hertz (Hz) - 1 Hz = 1x cycle per second.

The human ear can hear sounds from around 20Hz to 20,000HZ (20kHz). However research conducted by Dr Alfred Tomatis found that most people only hear at about 20% of their capacity. We can also feel vibrations down to 0.1Hz.

How can we apply the science of sound to healing the human body?

The Role of the Brain in Sound Therapy

Let's take a look at the marvel that is the human brain.

The brain is essentially the flight control centre of your body, regulating vital functions, gathering and processing sensory information to keep you safe and alive. 

The brain is made up of millions of nerve cells (neurons) forming countless connections and communicating with each other via electrical impulses. This symphony of connections forms our consciousness, which constantly changes in response to our environment.

These electrical impulses are called brainwaves, measured in Hz by an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine. The EEG machine detects electrical impulses from the brain, sends them to an amplifier, and then to a computer where they can viewed as wave forms.

The frequency of brainwaves determines our level of consciousness:

Brainwave Frequencies

• Beta (14 - 40Hz) = Awake, Conscious reasoning. 

         This is our normal waking state, associated with alertness, logic and critical reasoning. They may also lead to overthinking, stress and anxiety.

• Alpha (7.5 - 14Hz) = Deep relaxation

        Alpha brainwaves are present during deep relaxation, a daydream or light meditation, often with the eyes closed. The Alpha state allows access to greater imagination, memory, learning and concentration. It's an ideal state to programme the mind for success with affirmations and visualisations. 

• Theta (4 - 7.5Hz) = Deep meditation, Light sleep

         Theta brainwaves occur during deep meditative states and light sleep, including REM sleep. This is the realm of your subconscious when you dream. Your mind's most deep-seated programmes live here, and you may experience vivid visualisations, inspiration, creativity and profound insights. 

• Delta (0.5 - 4Hz) = Deep sleep

The slowest frequency experienced during deep sleep and very deep, transcendental meditation where awareness is fully detached. Delta is the realm of your unconscious mind, and the gateway to the collective universal wisdom. Deep sleep is linked with physical regeneration and healing.

• Gamma (>40Hz) = Insight and Information Processing

Gamma brainwaves are the most recently discovered and fastest frequency. Initial research is showing this state is associated with bursts of insight and high-level information processing.

These brainwave frequencies can be used to promote natural healing.

In sound healing the brain waves will typically settle in the alpha to theta ranges. The nervous system will shift from an alert sympathetic state into a parasympathetic state, promoting rest, digestion and tissue repair.

These deeply relaxed states are ideal for re-programming old beliefs that may be keeping you stuck in pain, releasing held tension in the body and healing damaged cells.

The Science of Sound Healing

Every part of your body has it's own unique frequency. Your body's internal vibrations will respond to the frequencies you encounter around you. 

The principle of entrainment describes how one vibrating system falls into line with another. 

Entrainment was first discovered in 1665 by Dutch scientist and inventor of the pendulum clock, Christian Huygens. He observed that several clocks hanging from the same beam would tend to swing in unison after a short time.

Entrainment is a naturally occurring phenomenon - schooling fish, swirling starlings and circadian rhythms where our sleep-wake cycles align to light-dark cycles.

Entrainment can be harnessed in sound healing to alter brainwaves, influence the state of consciousness, re-programme thought patterns and induce a deep yet effortless relaxation. 

Essentially the frequency of your brainwaves changes to match the frequency of the sounds that you're hearing and feeling, inducing deeply relaxed physical and mental states that are beneficial for releasing held tension, encouraging deep restorative sleep and improving health at a cellular level.

It's well documented that tension, worry, anxiety and stress is strongly associated with increased pain, poorer quality sleep and inflammation.  The more pain and fatigue you feel, the lower your mood becomes leading to tension, worry, anxiety and stress.

And then you're stuck in a vicious loop of tension -> pain _> poor sleep -> inflammation -> tiredness -> low mood -> tension -> pain etc.

So anything that breaks this cycle will help you to create new strategies that will promote recovery and healing. 

I've been using sound baths in my retreats since 2022 to create a deeply relaxing and immersive mind-body experience for attendees. Sound baths will also be a part of The Befriend Your Body (BYB) Method,

The BYB Method is a 4 step system that combines simple movement explorations, muscle relaxation techniques, straight-forward breathwork, guided meditations, sound and connection to help you find your own pain-free body.

NEXT STEPS

• Book into a Stretch, Yoga or Pilates class with me - these are a good introduction to The BYB Method
•  "The BYB Method: A roadmap to reducing pain and moving with ease" A 6 week small group course - learn more HERE
• Attend a mind-body retreat - these are deeply relaxing, fun, social small group experiences typically held in various locations within easy reach of Worthing, West Sussex. The next retreats are "Rest & Reflect" half-day winter retreat on Sunday 3rd December (FULL) and "Sun & Moon" mini retreat on Sunday 17th December (5x spaces). Click HERE to read more about them,
• Subscribe HERE to receive "The Movement Chronicle", a weekly e-newsletter delivering mobility and pain reduction tips directly into your inbox every Monday morning,

To find out more about my classes and retreats, or to join my email list you can contact me via any of these channels:

• Email at norma.pearson1@ntlworld.com
• DM me on Facebook Messenger 
• WhatsApp message to 07801 867361.