what it is and how to get started

Without knowing it, you’ve probably benefited from sound healing multiple times in your life. Putting on a softly spoken podcast to help you drift off, selecting a soothing playlist to enhance your yoga practice, or simply listening to the rustling of leaves or the steady thrum of rain – these are all, albeit rudimentary, forms of sound healing.

What is sound healing?

Perhaps you’ve come across the terms 'gong bath' or 'sound bath' – two wellness techniques encompassed under the sound-healing umbrella. "Sound healing is a holistic practice that allows you to sink into a deep state of meditation using therapeutic-grade instruments to create calming soundscapes," explains sound therapist Farzana Ali (who is available at Urban Retreat in London for one-to-one sessions).

With Meghan Markle and Charlize Theron among its fans, sound healing can be experienced online as well as at a studio. During a session, you’ll most likely lie on a yoga mat or meditation carpet – comfort is key – and simply listen as your practitioner plays various instruments, allowing you to ‘bathe’ in the vibrations, gently guiding your body into a state of balance.

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"Sound-healing sessions are called sound baths, as the sound is said to wash over you," explains Ali. "When only a gong is used, it may be called a gong bath instead." Instruments that create resonance are used to promote a sense of calm and relaxation. "Himalayan singing bowls, crystal singing bowls, drums, gongs, monochords and shruti boxes (an Indian bellow instrument) can be used in any sound bath."

The sound frequencies experienced in sound healing slow down brainwaves to a restorative state, which activates the body’s self-healing system. But sound healing is not to be confused with sound therapy. "This is when sound is combined with a reflective practice, and that only happens in one-to-one sessions," says Ali. "Sound healing is what you’re likely to find in studios that offer sound meditation. The main aim is relaxation and it can be done in both a group or individual session."

Where did sound healing originate?

While it may sound revolutionary, sound healing is nothing new. Most ancient cultures will have used some form of sound therapy, from the singing bowls of Tibet, Nepal and India to the drums and chanting of ancient Greece and Egypt. Sound healing can even be traced back more than 40,000 years to the use of didgeridoos by indigenous Australians. It’s thought that sound healing was used to promote relaxation, treat mental-health issues and even ward off evil spirits.

More recently, research has linked music and sound healing to a number of wellbeing benefits, from lowering stress to boosting immune function. It’s part of a wider trend that sees us looking to ancient practices to solve modern problems - consider the ubiquity of yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies like acupuncture, and much lauded superfoods like Chia seeds (first used by the Aztecs and Mayans). Modern science is now catching up to help ratify what these ancient cultures already knew.

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How does sound healing work?

In sound healing, frequencies are used in the same way as breath in meditation: to influence shifts in our brainwaves. "Sound healing works by activating the parasympathetic nervous system – the opposite of the stress flight or fight response," explains Ali. "It slows down your breath rate, your heart rate and even your brainwaves, putting you into an almost trance-like state. This sends a signal to your body that you are safe and therefore allows you to fully relax. It also gives your brain the opportunity to organise your thoughts, hence the clarity that can often come after a session, too."

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Sound healing also triggers a phenomenon known as entrainment. The soothing frequencies emitted in a sound-healing session provide a stable pattern for our brainwaves to mimic, flattening stressful fluctuations. Essentially, the brain falls in sync with the sound frequency. Thus our brains can be ‘entrained’, using rhythm and frequency to move from their typical beta-dominant state (concentration, focus or stress) to a restful alpha-dominant state. Combined with the activation of our parasympathetic nervous system, this encourages the body to slip into deep relaxation.

What are the benefits of sound healing?

The heady combination of overlapping sounds, vibrations and frequencies is said to foster inner calm and induce a meditative state. "Sound healing can make you feel more rested, relaxed and less anxious after just one session," says Ali. "Over time it can improve your sleep, improve your clarity, make you more resilient and help you overcome past or present traumas."

Lesser known benefits include pain management, lowered blood pressure and cholesterol, and decreased risk of heart disease. While at the more subjective end of the spectrum, sound healing is said to help clear energetic blockages and balance the chakras.

For many proponents though, the joy of sound healing lies in its escapism. Simply existing in an altered state of consciousness, or dream-like state, can introduce tingling sensations, visualisations and a feeling of weightlessness.

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How to get started with sound healing

The most important thing to note when beginning a sound-healing journey is that everybody’s experience is unique. While one day you may have an emotional breakthrough, another you may simply feel blissfully relaxed. Try not to go in with expectations, and let the experience carry you.

Search online for a studio offering sound baths near you or try an online session. "There plenty of clips available online, or you can listen to things like alpha-waves or birdsong on YouTube," says Ali. "Head to my Instagram @thesoundtherapist for short clips to help recreate a similar experience to going to a session."

If you are at home, create a peaceful and comfortable environment before you get started. Dim the lights, perhaps light a mood-enhancing candle, cuddle up with a blanket or place a bolster under your knees.

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Whether you’re hoping to engage in a sound-bath session on a deeper level or are seeking ways to bring sound healing into your everyday life, Ali has some tips:

• "Do it with an open mind. Allow yourself to enjoy it without worrying too much if you’re doing it ‘correctly’."
• "Remember that the best thing about sound work is that it meets you exactly where you are. I tell clients not to worry if they fall asleep, because perhaps your body needed the physical rest more. Or, if they have lots of thoughts come up in a session then that’s OK too."
• "Make sure you don’t have a coffee or alcohol before a session."
• "Drink plenty of water afterwards."

"If you don’t have access to a sound-healing session then simply head into nature," suggests Ali. "A riverside or park will provide you with an opportunity to indulge in a natural sound bath. Listening to the rustling leaves on trees, the gentle lapping sounds of a river, or simple birdsong are all known to calm the nervous system."

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