The Healing Effect of Humming

Humming as an anti-viral agent?

Today we are going to look at the healing effects of humming. There are many interesting aspects of how humming can give us various benefits.

Among them, the "reduction of stress, the release of melatonin, the reduction of heart rate and blood pressure, and much more".

An added bonus to humming is that anyone can do it and you don't have to be a professional singer or musician to do it. There are no specific rules to follow and you can hum to any pitch as you find easiest. Nevertheless, later in the text I will suggest you a few steps on how to practice "conscious humming" well.

But what physiological and also therapeutic benefits does humming have for us specifically? It has been found that humming releases nitric oxide (NO) in the nasal cavity and this molecule may be "effective as an anti-viral agent." It is believed that cells and structures in our body that are vibrated by humming release nitric oxide and this has a beneficial effect on us.

However, another substance is also released: the hormone melatonin.

Other advantages of humming

As mentioned earlier, humming releases melatonin in addition to nitric oxide, which brings positive effects.

For example:

-       improved sleep

-       support of the immune system

-       anti-inflammatory as well as anti-viral effect

-       slowing down of the aging process

Furthermore, humming leads to the reduction of heart rate and blood pressure, as it was briefly touched upon in the beginning. This in turn is related to the reduction of cortisol, the stress hormone. Thus, humming also helps to reduce stress and anxiety, as it has a rapid calming effect on our psyche and nervous system.

How to hum effectively

Humming allows us to massage ourselves internally and can be directed to almost any part of our body with a specific intention. And if you feel like trying it directly, you are welcome to follow along step by step with the help of this basic instruction on "conscious humming". Pay attention to your body and what is good for you. The effect of humming can be cumulative. This exercise lasts 10 minutes in total, in the first half you will hum and in the second you will let the silence work on you.

1.     find a comfortable place where you can hum undisturbed

2.     sit up straight

3.     close your eyes

4.     take a few deep and slow breaths, so your body can relax

5.     while taking these first deep breaths, start to focus your intention on what you want to experience through the humming and where you want to feel it in your body

6.     after a few breaths, start humming in a way that is comfortable for you

7.     take a deep breath for about 5 minutes and then sounding forth with an elongated hum

8.     pay attention to where the sound resonates naturally in your body

9.     stop humming and allow yourself 5 minutes of silence, notice where the sound has resonated and what changes you can perceive

10.  when you are ready, open your eyes and center yourself

I hope this exercise was pleasant for you or was an inspiration.

Today's blog post is inspired by an article by Jonathan Goldman, which has six parts in total. In my post that you just read, you can find the most important things about parts 1-3 of the article. If you want to read more, you can go to the right page here.

You want to learn more about how you can combine sound with other healing methods or learn more about sound healing, crystal singing bowls and sound meditation in general? Then find out now about one of my certified Sound Healing trainings at the Sound Medicine Institute Germany. It offers online and face-to-face trainings worldwide.