Music and sound have been employed in a variety of ways throughout history, from raising military morale and increasing workplace productivity, to helping people with dementia remember their “golden years” and feel calmer.

Indeed, for thousands of years, sound therapy has been used to rebalance the body’s vibration, build resilience and emotional wellbeing, and even – according to some cultures – fight off bad spirits.

If you’re not convinced that music and sound healing treatment have restorative properties, think of your favorite song or track, and how it instantly improves your mood.

Good lively music may quickly make you feel more energised and joyful, while a slow, sorrowful song may strike all the perfect notes to allow you to have a much-needed cry.

Healing abilities

Sound and music can be powerful healers for a variety of mental-emotional and even physical disorders, and have been used to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety disorder.

Curiously, sound therapy can help those who suffer from tinnitus as well. Tinnitus sound therapy uses a process called habituation, where a relaxing, neutral noise – such as ocean waves crashing, rain falling, white noise, or instrumental music – is played as background noise throughout the day.

After a while, the tinnitus becomes associated with the sound, allowing the brain to perceive it as constant and not something that should be paid attention to – similar to the way you put on glasses and, after a while, the sensation of having something on your nose and ears becomes unnoticeable.

There is plenty of research to back up the healing benefits of sound waves, and these are far more than just a catchy tune that makes you feel happy.

There is a vibrational frequency in everything within the cosmos, which affects every cell in your body. In other words, the vibrations produced by instruments or voices could really interact with your body to produce certain results – in this context, to promote healing.

These assertions are supported by scientific research. Tuning forks, for example, have been shown in studies to be useful at relieving muscular and bone pain, while a 2006 study showed that singing-bowl meditation can decrease blood pressure, enhance circulation, relieve aches and pains, and even boost the immune system.

Another study found that vibroacoustic treatment – sounds and vibrations delivered directly to the body – could be useful for treating chronic pain and promoting recovery from injury.

More study is needed to determine how beneficial sound healing treatment truly is, but so far, evidence shows it is a viable choice for anyone suffering from pain, injury, or stress.

Sound therapy at home

To enjoy the advantages of sound healing, it can be as simple as adding some calming music while enjoying a home spa, or playing a guided meditation track during bedtime to help you drift off.

There are numerous tracks available on platforms such as YouTube and Spotify that promote healing and relaxation through frequencies that are supposedly in tune with the human body.

Untethering the mind can have numerous physiological benefits, from stress reduction and lowered anxiety to improved memory, lowered blood pressure, and a reduced risk of heart disease and strokes.

With no side effects to negate it, why not see whether sound therapy has a favourable influence on your physical and mental-emotional health?

Dennis Relojo-Howell is the founder of Psychreg. Connect with him on Twitter @dennisr_howell.