Going to Sound Therapy Can Be as Simple as Putting in Your Headphones

 
Sound healing is an up and coming wellness trend that does exactly what it sounds like: helps you heal through sound.  Although ancient Greeks and Tibetian cultures have embraced sounds to heal individuals, this therapy is becoming more mainstream, embracing new technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia and aches and pains in one’s body. 
 
According to scientists, “the mechanics of hearing are plain and simple, but what we hear, how we hear it, and how we perceive sound is more complex.” (Source:  Dr.Kumo Connected Health Technology).   Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City, has the latest on the trends you should know to start healing through sound.
 
Bathe in Sound
Sound baths are exactly what they seem like: bathing yourself in sound. Participants of sound baths start by lying in a comfortable position to be able to focus as much on your inner self as possible. Then, the instructor will guide you through the meditation using an instrument, often singing bowls but can also be chimes, gongs, didgeridoo (a type of wind instrument), rattles, or even the human voice, according to Shape.
 
Studies have shown that sound baths are able to decrease levels of tension and anxiety in participants. According to Shape, “Sound baths slow down your brainwaves and put you into a meditative state without you having to put in much effort.”
 
Tuning Fork Therapy
Tuning forks are two-pronged metal forks with a handle, and when banged on a surface they vibrate both physically and audibly. There are forks of different frequencies ranging from high to low; the larger the fork and the lower the frequency the longer the duration of vibration. During a therapy session, the tuning fork can be placed on problem areas or held near your head to hear the vibrations.
 
According to Healthline, “tuning fork therapy can help release tension and energy and promote emotional balance. It supposedly works similar to acupuncture, “using sound frequencies for point stimulation instead of needles.”
 
“Specific frequencies can be used to encourage a specific outcome, like releasing energy blocks, improving sleep, mood or relaxation and relieving ailments,” according to Kansas City Mag.
 
Curated Playlists
Music has been found to have many health benefits, including being more effective than prescription drugs in reducing anxiety before a surgery, according to Healthline. Companies such as Spotify are now offering personalized wellness music solutions.,
 
According to Global Wellness Institute, “The integration of biometric data collected by these digital devices, such as the Fitbit, the Oura ring, and the Apple watch, is being utilized to tailor music, sound, and acoustic resonance therapies to modulate psychology and physiology.”
 
With the advance of technology, we’ll soon be able to have playlists that are curated to our biometric needs! Who knew listening to our favorite song could be a method of therapy?
 
Brain Waves and Sound
Brainwave entrainment, also known as binaural beats, is a method of sound healing that uses pulsing sounds to stimulate your brain into a specific state by encouraging brain waves to align to the frequency of the beat. “Your brain hears the two pulsing tones in each ear and creates a third beat at the difference of the two frequencies, essentially syncing the right and left brain hemispheres,” according to Kansas City Mag.
 
According to Healthline, “brainwave entrainment is supposed to help “induce enhanced focus, entranced state, relaxation, and sleep.” Though more research is needed, one study found that audible brainwave entrainment reduces anxiety, pain, and symptoms of PMS, in addition to improving behavioral problems in children.
 
Sound healing is an important therapy for elderly individuals suffering from dementia to recall important memories.  The psychology of sound is concerned with how our brain interprets each sound, which conveys information about our surroundings and generates emotions and sentiments. (Source: Dr. Kumo Connected Health Technology)
 
“Reminiscence Music Therapy allows those with dementia to recall long term memories, connect with reality in the here-and-now, and connect with others, including family, friends, and caregivers.  These moments of lucidity can not only provide joy and reduce agitation in dementia patients, but they often allow family and friends to experience the person they have lost, providing a sense of closure and fond memories that they can cherish even after their loved one is gone,” according to Global Wellness Institute.
 
Sound healing is an emerging trend embraced by Gen Z to aging Baby boomers.  Our team of savvy travel and lifestyle public relations professionals are here to help savvy markets tap into this wellness trend.
 
By Marley Merrihew at Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.
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