It has long been known that music has a direct effect on our feelings: it is processed in the brain and can thereby overlay, intensify or alter emotions that are already present. This is one of the reasons why music is used in the treatment of anxiety disorders. In this article, we explain how you can use sound when you experience anxiety.
What is anxiety?
Viewed in isolation, fear is a natural, important warning signal from our body. When danger threatens, we feel fear: the body releases adrenaline and noradrenaline, the heart beats faster and the blood binds more oxygen to increase performance and enable a quick escape. In this case, fear is not paralyzing but mobilizing, a quality that has ensured the survival of humankind.
In addition to the fear that is part of being human and necessary for survival, there are also so-called anxiety disorders. Here, fears arise not only in truly dangerous situations, but also in completely normal everyday situations that pose no acute danger but are nevertheless perceived as dangerous by those affected. If this state becomes established, it is called an anxiety disorder, which can severely restrict the lives of those affected.
Sound exercises can be part of a personal relaxation ritual. If anxiety weighs on you or restricts your everyday life, seek medical or psychotherapeutic support. The exercises do not replace treatment.
Please note: If you have acute physical or mental complaints or are pregnant, only use our exercises and tips after consulting your doctor.
What can you do about anxiety?
Fears are as old as humankind itself. What used to be the fear for survival, however, has mostly given way to the fears of our time: fear of failing at work, fear of not being good enough in the family, fear of not passing an exam… There are countless fears, and each one is as individual as you are. But what can you do about these fears?
This article is mainly about how singing bowls and sound can help with anxiety. We go into this in more detail in the following section. Before that, however, we would like to give you a few general tips that can also help with anxiety and can be combined with the use of singing bowls:
4-7-8 breathing
Breathe in deeply through your nose and count to four. While you hold your breath, count to seven in your mind. Then breathe out deeply and audibly through your mouth for eight seconds. Repeat the breathing technique as often as you like. The breathing exercise can also be combined with sound to address your fears. To do this, strike the singing bowl once with each inhalation.
Progressive muscle relaxation
When it comes to what helps with anxiety, progressive muscle relaxation has also proven to be a valuable everyday aid. In it, you tense and then relax different muscle groups one after the other. Try to actively perceive the feeling of tension and relaxation in order to release your fears. Combined with singing bowls, this becomes a particularly calming exercise. If you would like to delve deeper into the topic, take a look at the seminar Progressive muscle relaxation and sound at the Peter Hess® Institute.
Meditation
Meditation combines wonderfully with sound. Many meditations focus on not suppressing fear, but on giving it space and observing the feeling regardless of its cause. You can concentrate on perceiving the purely physical experience without judging it at all. If thoughts arise, let them pass by like clouds and remind yourself that these moments come and go. A meditation becomes all the more intense when you combine it with the vibrations of a singing bowl. Strike the singing bowl intuitively, following your own rhythm.
Reflecting on fear patterns
Reflecting on your own thoughts and fears can be combined with a meditation or a singing bowl session. Ask yourself the questions that are on your mind: Where does your fear come from? When do you feel it most clearly? What is threatening about these situations for you? Think the situations through and question your fears. If you want to do something about your fear, look at it from the outside and ask why you feel it in certain moments. Was there perhaps a situation in the past in which the fear seemed sensible and protected you? Do you already know ways to break your learned pattern?
There are many ways to relax, and perhaps completely different things help you with stress and anxiety. Some people like to read a book, others paint a picture, and others find it helpful to cook something delicious. In the end, what you choose is entirely up to you. Music that relaxes you is a good companion for all these activities, helping you let go of worried thoughts and concentrate on the beautiful things in life.
How can music and sounds help with anxiety?
This article refers to a 2016 study on a sound meditation with singing bowls and subjective well-being. The results must be assessed in the context of the study design and do not prove a general treatment of anxiety disorders.
With gentle sounds and vibrations, singing bowls lead you to a deep sense of well-being. In this way, your focus shifts from the outside world, which may be causing you worries and fears, to your innermost self, and the soothing, deep relaxation begins. In addition, the sound waves emanating from the singing bowl strengthen body awareness and self-perception. This makes it easier for you to direct your attention to yourself and block out external things.
How can a sound massage with singing bowls help with anxiety?
So that you can perceive the sound waves particularly intensely, the singing bowls are placed on and around your body. The vibrating stimulus that becomes noticeable in this way first spreads through your skin into the tissue and then flows into organs, bones, body cavities and body fluids, so that your whole being can return to a unified vibration. At the same time, the acoustic stimulation can be felt, which has a particularly intense effect in certain areas of the brain, including the amygdala, the hippocampus, the hypothalamus and the midbrain, as a 2009 study by Dr. Uwe Ross was able to show.
Can I do a sound massage or sound meditation for anxiety myself?
A particular advantage of a sound massage or sound meditation is that, with the right equipment, you can get started yourself right away. You do not necessarily have to practice a lot or attend a course to try out these methods. Simply strike the singing bowl with the mallet, either standing in front of you or placed on an area of the body of your choice, and enjoy the sounds. In our article, we have put together some exercises with singing bowls and gongs for you.
For a professional sound massage, you can also visit an experienced sound practitioner and let the sounds work on you without having to do anything yourself. However, if you are already undergoing treatment, be sure to clarify this with your doctor beforehand and talk to the sound practitioner about possible contraindications.
