It has long been known that music has a direct effect on our feelings: it is processed in the brain and can thus overlay, amplify or alienate existing emotions. This is another reason why music is used in the treatment of anxiety disorders. In this article, we explain how you can use and benefit from sound for anxiety.
What is fear?
Viewed in isolation, anxiety 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 a paralyzing but a mobilizing characteristic that has ensured the survival of mankind.
In addition to anxiety, which is part of being human and essential for survival, there are also so-called anxiety disorders. Anxiety not only arises in really dangerous situations, but also in completely normal everyday situations that do not pose any acute danger, but which are nevertheless perceived as dangerous by those affected. If this condition manifests itself, it is referred to as an anxiety disorder, which can massively restrict the lives of those affected.
Sound can help you to deal better with very different types of anxiety. You can use sound both for fear that arises from specific dangerous situations and for fears that go beyond that.
Please note: In the case of acute physical or psychological complaints and during pregnancy, only use our exercises and tips after consulting your doctor.
What to do in case of anxiety?
Fears are as old as humanity itself. However, what used to be a fear of survival has now mostly given way to the fear of our time - fear of failing at work, fear of not being good enough in the family, fear of failing 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 will focus on how Singing Bowls and sound can help with anxiety. We will 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 holding your breath, count to seven internally. Then exhale deeply and with an audible sound 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 combat your anxiety. To do this, hit the Singing Bowl once with each inhalation.
Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation has also proven to be a valuable everyday aid when it comes to the question of what helps against anxiety. This involves tensing different muscle groups one after the other and then relaxing them again. Try to actively perceive the feeling of tension and relaxation in order to release your anxiety. Combined with Singing Bowls , this is a particularly calming exercise. If you would like to delve deeper into the subject, take a look at the Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Sound seminar at the Peter Hess® Institute.
Meditation
Meditation can be wonderfully combined with sound. In many meditations, the focus is not on suppressing the fear, but on giving it space and looking at the feeling independently of the cause. You can concentrate on perceiving the purely physical experience without judging it. If thoughts arise, let them pass like clouds and remember that these moments come and go. A meditation is all the more intense if you combine it with the vibrations of Singing Bowl . Proceed intuitively in your own rhythm at strike of Singing Bowl .
Reflecting fear patterns
Reflecting on your own thoughts and fears can be combined with a meditation or Singing Bowls application. Ask yourself the questions that are bothering you: Where does your fear come from? When do you feel it particularly clearly? What is threatening about these situations for you? Think through the situations and question your fears. If you want to do something about your anxiety, look at it from the outside and ask why you feel it at certain moments. Has there possibly been a situation in the past where the fear made sense and protected you? Do you already know ways to break your learned pattern?
There are many ways to relax - perhaps completely different things will help you to combat stress and anxiety. Some people like to read a book, others like to draw a picture, while cooking something delicious helps others. In the end, what you choose is entirely up to you. Music that relaxes you is a good way to accompany all of these activities, allowing you to let go of worrying thoughts and concentrate on the finer things in life.
How can music and sounds help with anxiety?
How helpful Singing Bowls can be for anxiety was demonstrated in a 2016 study in which 62 men and women documented the effects of sound meditation. They spoke of an improved spiritual well-being that all participants experienced during the singing bowl meditation, enabling them to let go of their fears and worries. But why is that?
Singing Bowls guide you to a deep sense of well-being with gentle sounds and vibrations. The focus flows from the outside, which may cause you worries and fears, into your inner self - the soothing, deep relaxation begins. The sound waves emanating from Singing Bowl also strengthen your body and self-awareness. This makes it easier for you to focus your attention on 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 stimulation that can be felt in this way first spreads through your skin into the tissue and then flows into organs, bones, body cavities and body fluids - allowing your entire being to return to a uniform vibration. At the same time, you can feel the acoustic stimulation, which has a particularly intense effect in some areas of the brain - including the amygdala (amygdala), hippocampus, hypothalamus and midbrain, as a study by Dr. Uwe Ross in 2009 demonstrated.
Can I perform a sound massage or sound meditation for anxiety myself?
A particular advantage of a sound massage or sound meditation is the fact that you can get started straight away with the right equipment. You don't necessarily have to practise a lot or attend a course to try out these methods. You simply hit the Singing Bowl in front of you or on an area of your body of your choice with the mallet and enjoy the sounds. We have put together some exercises with Singing Bowls and gongs for you in our article.
For a professional sound massage, you can also visit an experienced sound practitioner and let the sounds work on you without any action on your part. However, if you are already undergoing treatment, be sure to discuss this with your doctor beforehand and talk to the sound practitioner about possible contraindications.