Sound baths: Experts examine relaxation and wellness claims
The Story
Sound baths, a wellness trend involving participants lying on yoga mats while practitioners ring chimes and bang gongs, have seen online interest rise exponentially over the last decade, according to a Guardian science column. Marketing for the classes claims the sounds can “soothe and calm your nervous system” and promote healing through specific frequencies. Experts interviewed for the column say it is plausible that sound baths can affect mood, but caution that benefits can be overstated. Dr Sandra Garrido, a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney, stated that while sound baths can be relaxing and a “nice experience,” they are “not this miracle cure.” The column notes that focused music listening and communal music experiences have documented wellbeing benefits, but that no single regulatory body oversees sound bath practitioners.
Key Facts
- Sound baths involve participants lying on yoga mats, hanging in cocoons, or floating on inflatable loungers while practitioners ring chimes and bang gongs.
- Online interest in these experiences has risen exponentially in the last decade.
- A 2016 observational study linked Tibetan singing bowl meditation to reduced tension, anger, and fatigue, but lacked a control group and cannot establish causation.
- A randomised controlled trial in breast cancer patients linked Tibetan sound meditation to improved cognitive function and mental health.
- Dr Sandra Garrido said research suggests breathing can synchronise to beats (rhythmic entrainment) and that music can induce emotions, but the benefits of sound baths are often “talked up.”
- Dr Amanda Krause noted that focused music listening is linked to wellbeing benefits and that music therapy is a registered profession in Australia, unlike sound bath practitioners.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Dr Vince Polito, senior lecturer in psychological sciences at Macquarie University
- Dr Sandra Garrido, senior research fellow at the University of Sydney’s school of psychology
- Dr Amanda Krause, senior lecturer in psychology at James Cook University and president of the Australian Music and Psychology Society
- Donna Lu, assistant editor at Guardian Australia (author)
Sources: The Guardian
