People are surrounded by sounds all day. While you may tune out a lot of what you hear — the sound of traffic, a dog barking, the hum of the washing machine — sound can be powerful. Harnessing certain sounds and using them in a specific — often meditative — way may even benefit your health.
Sound therapy is a complementary therapy that relies on specific tones, frequencies and vibrations to promote healing and relaxation. Unlike music therapy, which can involve singing or songwriting, sound therapy doesn't include lyrics — though it may incorporate vocal tones or chanting.
Types of sound therapies include:
- Binaural beats: Tones with two different frequencies are played in separate ears. When those two tones come together, they create a perceived third frequency that may affect brain activity.
- Sound baths: This full-body listening experience involves rhythmic instruments such as chimes or metal and crystal singing bowls. The sounds and vibrations the instruments make can produce a meditative state.
- Vibroacoustic (whole-body vibration) therapies: Vibroacoustic therapies deliver low-frequency sound and physical vibration through chairs and mats. Vibrations can be applied to the chest. The therapy may relax muscles, ease pain and improve circulation.
Sound therapy relies on the sound you hear with your ears. But when vibrations are involved, your body also benefits from the sound waves it receives through the skin. Experts believe that both the sounds and the vibrations may have potential health benefits.
Health benefits of sound therapy
Research on the benefits of sound therapy is inconclusive but growing. Early studies have been small or limited. But experts continue to gather scientific evidence supporting the benefits of binaural beats, sound baths and vibroacoustic therapy.
Researchers are not just focused on specific benefits of sound therapy either. They are also searching for the best ways to achieve those benefits: What sound frequencies are most effective? How much sound therapy do you need to gain benefits? Who should consider sound therapy?
More data is needed to conclude that sound therapy has reliable health benefits. But most experts agree that research suggests sound therapy may have some significant health benefits.
At this time, evidence indicates that sound therapy may be beneficial for:
Enhanced mood
Sound baths tend to produce a state of relaxation that may reduce stress and anxiety. Giving your brain a task (listening) can help you relax, quiet your thoughts and lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
In one study, participants saw significant effects after just one sound meditation session involving a sound bath with singing bowls. Most of the 62 participants reported feeling less tension, anger, fatigue and depression following the session. However, there is no data about how long those altered feelings last.
Binaural beats may also influence anxiety. When they are used before starting a task, studies show they have a moderate but consistent effect on anxious thoughts.
Improved cognition
A review of more than 20 studies reveals that using binaural beats before, or before and during, a task may help with memory and attention. The extent of the effect may depend on the sound frequency used, length of exposure to the beats and when that exposure takes place.
Another small study found that exposure to binaural beats for 10 minutes daily over the course of a month may significantly increase your motor and cognitive processing speeds. However, researchers suggest that consistent listening is critical to receive the full cognitive benefits of binaural beats.
Though research about sound therapy and cognition has been largely inconsistent, experts believe there is promise. Researchers are working to determine which sounds and frequencies have the most significant impact on brain activity.
Pain relief
Sound baths and other forms of meditation are thought to reduce perceived pain by relaxing the body and affecting stress hormones — which can often make pain worse. But research also suggests that whole-body vibration may affect chronic pain as well.
To test the effects of sound therapy, researchers evaluated the use of whole-body vibration over 12 weeks in patients with fibromyalgia. Participants who followed the sound therapy program saw immediate improvements in pain intensity, quality of life, pain sensitivity and the ability to complete motor functions. However, those improvements were not present three months later, suggesting that people with fibromyalgia may need ongoing sound therapy to sustain the benefits.
Another study measured pain relief associated with seated therapeutic vibration in people with moderate-to-severe pain in their feet, legs and lower back. Participants reported a statistically significant reduction in pain that lasted several hours. The findings suggest that vibration may be a viable alternative to opioids for pain relief — though more research is needed.
Other lesser-studied sound therapy benefits
Researchers continue to expand their study of sound therapy. There may be promising benefits for other conditions, including:
- Lung and respiratory conditions in adults and children
- Sleep issues, such as insomnia
- Tinnitus, which may include ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears
Considerations before using sound therapy
Sound therapy typically offers a low-risk therapeutic approach. However, it's always a good idea to consult your primary care physician before engaging in complementary therapies. Be sure to speak with your physician before using sound therapy if you have serious medical conditions, such as cardiac arrhythmia, epilepsy or implanted devices.
Remember, sound therapy treatment should be complementary to your physician-prescribed treatment plan. It should not be used in place of evidence-based medical or mental health care.
