We all know how relaxing a good bath can be at the end of the day. However there is a new style of bath that is taking over the wellness world that doesn't involve water, but instead focuses on sound waves - sound baths. A sound bath works on the premise of using sound to heal the body and mind through echoing sound from wind and percussion instruments.
What is a sound bath and how do they work?
Whilst they might seem like a new phenomenon, sound healing has been a home remedy used by many cultures for thousands of years. Most sound-bathing starts with a reclined position, whilst relaxing and meditating, as someone produces sound waves, typically with a gong on a bowl, to help retune and realign your body.
These sounds will help your body enter a state of deep relaxation which will also shut off your body's fight or flight reflexes.
What are the benefits of a sound bath?
One of the main benefits of sound bathing is that it can help improve mental health. Sound has long been known as a powerful healing tool, most commonly music therapy, and sound baths have this same effect. Research has proven that sound baths are effective in improving anxiety and depression, as the sound frequencies help the brain enter a clear and peaceful state of mind.
A 2016 study found that 62 adults who had taken part in a meditation session involving sound baths, had significant reductions in tension, anxiety and negative moods after the therapy.
For those that suffer with insomnia, sound baths could be a powerful healing tool as it helps to relax the mind- something that many insomniacs struggle with as they try to get to sleep. Sound bathing in the afternoon or early evening could help keep your brain in a relaxed state, making it easier to fall asleep at night.
Whilst there isn't as much research about the effects sound baths have on physical health, participants of the same 2016 study were asked to rate their pain levels before and after sound bathing, and the majority rated their pain lower after the sound bath.
However, as stress is a huge contributing factor for lots of health issues such as diabetes and heart disease, sound bathing can help to reduce your chances of these conditions as it has been proven to reduce stress.
What instruments are used in sound baths?
The waves used in sound baths are made by numerous sources, including healing instruments such as gongs, singing bowls, percussion, chimes, rattles, tuning forks, and even the human voice.
However these sounds don't have a catchy melody or a rhythm like you'd hear in songs on the radio or at a concert, but they are carefully curated to give off soothing, overlapping vibrations.
How to create a sound bath at home
When thinking of recreating a sound bath experience at home, you might fall into the idea of thinking that you'll have to invest in gongs, bowls and turning forks, however it can be much more accessible than that. Whilst you can purchase these items for sound bathing, online recordings are just as effective and there are plenty to choose from.
To recreate the full experience at home, find somewhere comfortable and quiet to relax where you know that you won't be disrupted and create a cosy spot on the floor with lots of pillows and blankets. Other elements like turning down the lights, lighting a candle, or burning palo santo help to build an even more relaxing environment.
Although you can play the sounds through a speaker, using headphones helps toreduce distractions and improves the sound quality. You can find sound bathing audios online easily, with lots of YouTube, Instagram and even TikTok.
Lie down, close your eyes and fully immerse yourself in the sounds, making sure not to get distracted by anything else going on. Take long deep breaths and let yourself feel the emotions that take over whilst listening to the sounds.