Sound Healing: We all have an indescribable affinity towards music, yet we seem unaware of its healing properties and unnoticed effect on our physical and mental health.
Sound Healing: Effect of music on neurological well-being
A study published by PubMed Central named “Effects of music and music therapy on mood in neurological patients” in 2015 indicated music therapy (MT) as a process which tends to significantly influence the mood and overall quality of life of neurological patients. Sound healing is a continuous process steered by various musical interventions or therapies in controlled environments. It is identified as a process that affects the human brain and the multiple cortices, memory, and cerebellum.
Listening to music is further identified as a procedure that affects our emotions and the overall nervous system. Sounds that are calmer excite the parasympathetic nervous system of our body, which regulates various spontaneous activities such as digestion, breathing and so on. Sound healing is triggered when we listen to calmer and soft music, as it increases the activity of our parasympathetic nervous system, reducing our heart rate and blood pressure.
Effect of music on physiological well-being
Professionals who conduct sound healing therapeutic sessions facilitate people with physiological ailments such as post-operative pain, muscle tension, uneven breathing, etc. A pertinent study named “Music reduces pain and increases functional mobility in fibromyalgia” was released in Frontiers by authors Garza-Villarreal et al. (2014), which indicated music as the trigger to active sound healing processes which help treat chronic physical pain and attain relief from stressful situations and circumstances. The study also stated that sound healing is recommended for patients facing severe muscle tension and physical pain as it influences the release of certain endorphins or neurotransmitters that change your thoughts and distract your mind from the memories of pain and agony.
Effect of music on psychological well-being
Sound healing and its effect can be best experienced by humans psychologically as music influences stress release and memory stimulation. The information gathered by our brain is processed faster when we listen to various forms of music and musical outcomes. The ultimate effect of music is on mental well-being as it increases social connectedness and the ability of an individual to communicate with one another in the long term.
It also stabilizes our mood and makes us feel joyous and relieved from situations which are traumatic and paranoiac. A similar study by PubMed Central titled “The psychological functions of music listening” proves that sound healing is possible by listening to music of different forms and structures. The immense influence of music on self-awareness and mental stability is the primary factor that brings in a sense of acceptance and increases an individual’s consciousness to see life as it is.
Personal Remarks
One must consider identifying the benefits of music as it triggers sound healing, a process which is often underestimated, discredited and misinterpreted. We need to understand music’s various physical, mental and emotional effects as they influence us to stick to this practice in the long term. It is also essential for an individual to discover and rediscover the various possibilities of music, as it does not end with healing as an outcome for them.
It makes an individual capable of experiencing life at its highest intensity. It makes us feel the various emotions attached, such as pain and joy, happiness and sadness, etc. It brings us peace and makes us express what we think and feel therapeutically and subtly. Music is also important as it creates a sense of interconnectedness, which, to a degree, makes us feel self-satisfied and less lonely than usual in times.
