Sound baths aim to relax and calm your nervous system
Sound baths aim: Sound baths have become a popular wellness trend, with many people paying to be “bathed” in sound as a way to relax and calm their nervous system. Social media features numerous clips of participants lying on yoga mats, floating on pool loungers, or sitting in dimly lit rooms while practitioners use instruments like chimes, gongs, and singing bowls to create soothing sounds. The experience is often described as deeply relaxing, with some sessions held outdoors, such as by Sydney Harbour, or in high-end wellness clubs equipped with surround-sound technology.
The practice and its claims
Sound baths typically involve the use of instruments such as metal or crystal singing bowls that produce resonant tones when struck or brushed. These sounds are marketed as having the ability to “penetrate every cell in your body” and promote healing by soothing the nervous system. Some proponents claim that specific frequencies can improve chronic symptoms like pain, fatigue, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm.
Despite the popularity and appealing atmosphere of sound baths, questions remain about the scientific validity of these claims. Experts in psychology and music therapy have examined the effects of sound and music on human wellbeing to better understand what benefits, if any, sound baths might provide.
Scientific perspectives on sound baths
Dr Vince Polito, a senior lecturer in psychological sciences, notes that there is a substantial field of music psychology studying how different sounds affect human psychology and physiology. He suggests it is plausible that sound baths can influence mood. For example, a 2016 observational study found that participants who experienced meditation with Tibetan singing bowls reported reduced tension, anger, and fatigue. However, the study lacked a control group, limiting the ability to establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
Another study involving breast cancer patients found that Tibetan sound meditation was linked to improvements in cognitive function and mental health. Additionally, mindfulness meditation, which often accompanies sound bath practices, has been associated with reductions in anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Dr Sandra Garrido, a senior research fellow in psychology, explains that the effects of sound or music on wellbeing largely depend on how individuals perceive and interpret the sounds rather than on specific frequencies or types of sound alone. She highlights a phenomenon called “rhythmic entrainment,” where breathing can synchronize with external beats without conscious effort, which may contribute to relaxation.
According to Garrido, meditation-type music often features long, sustained tones with minimal melody or rhythm to avoid distraction, such as the ringing tones of Tibetan singing bowls. She emphasizes that the meditative benefit comes more from focusing attention on a single stimulus and quieting the mind than from the music itself. Any music that helps focus attention can potentially provide a meditative experience.
Garrido also points out that sound baths carry a mystical appeal for many people, but she cautions that they should be viewed as part of a general wellbeing practice rather than a miracle cure.
Music therapy and wellbeing
Dr Amanda Krause, a senior lecturer in psychology and president of the Australian Music and Psychology Society, notes that music therapy is a well-established field supported by research showing over 500 benefits of music listening and production. These benefits include improvements in social, cognitive, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Music therapists are registered professionals who work in various settings such as schools and hospitals.
In contrast, sound bath practitioners do not have a single regulatory body overseeing their practice. Krause explains that most music listening occurs alongside other activities like exercising or commuting, but focused music listening, as in sound baths, can amplify emotional responses and provide a meaningful emotional journey.
Garrido adds that communal music listening, such as during sound baths, can foster social connection, which has been a fundamental aspect of music throughout human history. She notes that the ability to listen to music alone is a relatively recent development.
While Garrido personally enjoys sound baths and finds them relaxing, she advises caution regarding their cost and suggests they are not essential for wellbeing.
