Nowadays, I am very willing to try new alternative therapies to see if they provide a positive impact on my wellbeing. “What did you say you are going to?”, my husband asks. I tell him it is all research for work!
I am not looking for quick fixes for specific menopause symptoms; I am looking to try and maintain a balance in my life and I know that taking time out for calm headspace is extremely beneficial in this respect.
So recently, I went to my first Sound Bath (with a friend) and we left feeling quite mesmerized by the experience and it sat with us for a good few days afterwards.
I have since been to two more Sound Baths and each time I’ve had a different experience.
My initial approach was, “I don’t know if it will do anything, but if I get to lie down for an hour with no interruptions then I am happy to pay!”
Sound Baths have been a positive experience for me and I therefore want to share an insight for you.
I have asked Carolyn from Pure Flow Sound Therapy to deep dive into this for you…
A quick search of the Internet will bring up a vast array of symptoms associated with peri-menopause and menopause. These range from physical symptoms such as joint pain, hot flashes, fatigue, dizziness and heart palpitations, to more emotional and mental symptoms, such as low self-esteem, panic attacks, depression, anxiety and brain fog. These symptoms usually occur for several years, and will sometimes continue for more than a decade, having profound effects on people’s lives.
Many of my friends and colleagues have had extremely contrasting experiences as they’ve journeyed through menopause, ranging from spending several years battling severe depression and suicidal thoughts to seemingly sailing through it virtually unaffected. The majority of women, however, will experience a variety of symptoms during the transition, with insomnia, anxiety, brain fog, hot flashes, headaches and mood swings being some of the most common.
How can sound therapy support women as they transition through menopause?
Focusing specifically on symptoms associated with peri-menopause and menopause, sound baths and sound therapy have been shown to have potential benefits for the following symptoms:
- Insomnia & fatigue
- Stress & anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic pain
- Concentration & clarity of thought
- Low mood & self-esteem
- Headaches & migraines
- Heart rate & blood pressure
In my experience, whilst training for my Diploma with The British Academy of Sound Therapy and then working as a sound therapist and sound bath facilitator at Pure Flow Sound Therapy, I’ve had positive feedback relating to almost all of the above conditions, with clients frequently expressing improved sleep, increased energy, decreased anxiety and a greater sense of overall wellbeing. Those with pain have usually felt relief from this pain for some time and many clients have been surprised to leave a session with much greater cognitive clarity and insight.
Targeted research into sound therapy is growing and a 2020 Research Review showed that four peer-reviewed studies had all demonstrated improvements in the following areas: distress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, tension, anger, confusion, vigour, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, cutaneous conductance and anterior-frontal alpha values. A 2019 study concluded that, “singing bowls sessions can be leveraged as a tool for inducing good quality relaxation response (increased parasympathetic tone, reduced stress) to facilitate healing and energy recovery in just 20 minutes and achieve significant health benefits.”
Sound baths provide the opportunity for a group of people to take time out of their day to deeply relax, and to release mental, emotional and physical tension and anxiety. They can bring energy and clarity to participants, as well as improved sleep quality, whilst increasing feelings of calm and wellbeing. Individual 1:1 sound therapy sessions go deeper, combining talk therapy with a targeted sound treatment, offering the opportunity for the therapist and the client to work together on an area of concern chosen by the client. This individualised approach allows for a greater depth of healing, with negative thought patterns and beliefs being brought to the surface and processed in a safe space, so that they can be released.
How does sound therapy work?
Although sound healing has been used in some cultures for thousands of years, it has only recently caught the attention of researchers in the west. An increasing amount of research is taking place, demonstrating many potential positive effects of sound therapy. These are some of the things we know so far:
- Many of the sounds produced during sound baths are known to create binaural beats, which slow down a person’s brainwaves and enable them to feel more relaxed. Sometimes people’s brainwaves slow right down and they fall asleep – this is actually fairly common. Cortisol levels (stress hormones) are reduced as the mind and body relax.
- When a person’s brainwaves slow down and they reach a deep state of relaxation without falling asleep, they often enter into what’s known as a sound induced ASC (Altered State of Consciousness). This is a deeply meditative state, which brings with it many of the benefits of meditation as researched over recent decades. Within this altered state, people can have a variety of experiences, including lucid dreaming, and they are sometimes able to access areas of their subconscious mind that are normally only accessible when they are asleep. This provides them with the opportunity to consciously receive insights and process their day-to-day thoughts, emotions and experiences as necessary. For more information on ASC and 1:1 sound therapy, please read Pure Flow Sound Therapy’s February Newsletter.
- When sound waves come into contact with our eardrums, they are transferred, via the vestibulocochlear nerve, directly to a branch of the vagus nerve, and into the body’s parasympathetic nervous system. Specific frequencies and rhythms have been shown to reactivate both the parasympathetic nervous system and the vagus nerve (which helps to control hormone release, inflammation, digestion, blood glucose levels, heart rate and blood pressure), producing a variety of positive physical effects on the body.
- When used on the body, vibrations from certain instruments enter into the soft tissue of the body and work to loosen tension and clear blockages. They can be used on specific areas of the body for specific purposes, or along the spine in order to have greater impact on the body’s nervous system.
This is a relatively passive form of therapy, which is excellent for those who require something simple to help them relax and shift out of flight-fight mode and back into their parasympathetic nervous system. It is easily accessible and has few contraindications.
There you have it, a wonderful dive into the world of Sound Baths and the incredible benefits it can have. I highly recommend it…
For more information and to book, please see www.pureflowsoundtherapy.com and contact Carolyn at [email protected] or 07734 760244.
Bio: Carolyn is a passionate sound therapist who adores anything and everything sound and frequency related. She loves working with vibrational therapy and offers private 1:1, couple and small group sessions as well as regular group sessions within the community. She also offers sessions for staff wellbeing to schools and businesses. It is her passionate dream to bring this incredible healing modality to as many people as possible. Carolyn trained with The British Academy of Sound Therapy and received a Distinction for her Diploma.
