Sound therapy: Benefits and techniques

Binaural beats, or binaural auditory beats, are a sound therapy method that uses two slightly different tones, which are played simultaneously in each ear and merge as one. As an example, if you’re listening to a 30 Hz tone in one ear and a 40 Hz tone in the other, the binaural beat is 10 Hz—the difference between the two tones. Different hertz levels can be played for various purposes.

The lower-level binaural beats are associated with deeper sleep and improved meditation, creativity, and relaxation (0.5-13 Hz), while the higher-level patterns support focus and attention (13-50 Hz). Listening to binaural beats can reduce stress and anxiety¹; improve motivation, mood, and confidence; and deepen meditation. One study found that binaural auditory beats in the beta pattern frequencies (20 Hz) could also improve long-term memory².

If you’re curious about trying this technique yourself, you can listen to binaural beats from the comfort of your own home. To get the most from the practice, aim to listen for 15 to 30 minutes daily for 30 to 45 days. All you’ll need are headphones, an audio system, and a quiet environment. Search the app store on your phone for free apps, such as Binaural (β), which allows you to choose which frequency level you’d like to listen to and for how long.  

Much like acupuncture, tuning fork therapy applies pressure to different parts of the body. A specialist will calibrate metal tuning forks with different vibrations and then place them directly on the individual. The tuning forks emit sound healing frequencies, stimulating the same central points that acupuncture treatments target.

The goal of the practice is to reduce pain and release tension, creating a balanced body and mind. If you’re interested in trying this method, find a wellness professional who specializes in this type of sound therapy.

Also known as vibroacoustic therapy, this sound healing exercise uses low-frequency vibrations to increase cellular movement. This results in higher energy levels, increased mobility, and reduced pain³ and inflammation.

It is particularly beneficial for those with Parkinson’s, autism, migraines, muscle cramps, and cerebral palsy. In a study among an elderly population living in nursing homes, vibrational sound therapy also helped ease depression and promote relaxation⁴.

Several types of sound therapy use music for healing⁵. But why is music important? Research shows it can improve stress levels. In fact, one study found that listening to music before a taxing event sparked a physiological change in the nervous system, helping participants’ cortisol (the stress hormone) return to a normal level more quickly than it did for participants who didn’t listen to music beforehand⁶. Simply listening to music can help us keep calm, but there are also more formal treatments. 

Here are two ways to use music for healing:

• Neurologic music therapy is typically led by a professional who can tailor the session to an individual’s needs. It has been shown to diminish anxiety—particularly before and after invasive medical procedures—since music can distract us and influence our moods. To reap the benefits of this method, participants create, sing, listen to, or move to music.
• Nordoff-Robbins uses healing sounds with guidance from a trained expert. Musicians go to school to learn the technique, which often helps kids with learning disabilities or developmental delays. The practice involves listening to or making music, sometimes with an end goal of a performance.

Singing bowl therapy is a style of meditation that’s been practiced for centuries in Buddhist and Tibetan cultures. Made of metal or crystal, singing bowls are played by gently striking the bowl with a mallet or circling the mallet around the rim of the bowl.

The vibrations from the bowl create a soothing sound that calms the listener. Believed to work on an energetic level, the tones created by Tibetan singing bowls are associated with balancing chakras and promoting healing, and studies have found they ultimately have a positive effect on mood, tension, and overall well-being⁷.

Guided meditation and yoga classes often pair these mental and physical relaxation practices with soothing background music or healing tones to promote deeper feelings of inner peace and calm. But sound healing, meditation, and yoga go even further.

What is sound healing meditation? It’s a style of meditation that involves music, chanting, or instruments like singing bowls or tuning forks to promote balance and relaxation. This is a technique that can be used during a sound bath to help create a more relaxing environment for participants.

What is sound healing yoga? In addition to gentle physical movements and poses, sound healing yoga also brings in instruments like singing bowls, gongs, chimes and bells, tuning forks, or drums to help participants reach a deeper meditative state and further promote stress relief and relaxation.

A healing sound bath utilizes many of the above techniques to create a deeply relaxing and immersive experience. Often, in a group activity at a wellness center, sometimes at the end of a yoga or meditation practice, participants are encouraged to recline and get comfortable. A provider will then play a series of overlapping sounds and tones using instruments like singing bowls, chimes, and gongs.

The goal is to help participants reach deeper states of relaxation and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. While more research needs to be done as to the measurable positive effects of sound baths, in one 2016 study, researchers found that participants’ levels of tension, anxiety, and negative moods decreased significantly after experiencing a sound bath⁸.