I have noticed over the years that my general level of stress has been a telling indicator for my overall sense of wellbeing and contentment. The more stress I have experienced during certain periods, the worse my health and sense of hopelessness have been. In contrast, when I have felt less stress, I’ve been astonished at how drastically multiple areas of my life improve, from relationships to thought patterns.
In our everyday lives, so many circumstances contribute to heightened stress and anxiety: from personal and financial responsibilities to constant streams of sensory stimulation. According to the American Psychological Association [in 2022], “around three-quarters of adults (76%) said they have experienced health impacts due to stress in the prior month, including headache (38%), fatigue (35%), feeling nervous or anxious (34%), and/or feeling depressed or sad (33%).” (APA, 2022). People do not know how to get out of the cycle of stress, which in turn negatively impacts their mental and physical health.
One reason I wanted to study Integrative Mental Health Coaching was due to this very reason. I discovered, through personal trial and error over the years, that a certain set of tools existed that I could turn to during times of great stress. I believe that for many of us these tools are ever-evolving as our personalities or preferences change over time. My definition of a “stress-reduction tool” is that it facilitates returning someone’s attention to the present moment, which in turn helps them feel as if the prior perceived weight of stress has been lifted from their shoulders.
One tool that I turn to often is music. Our bodies consist of various rhythms, from our brain waves to our heart beats, and our physiological response to the vibrations of music can enable our bodies’ rhythms to become more regulated which has very calming effects. (Abrams, 2023).
While music can be incredibly healing simply when listening to it on one’s own, Music Therapists are available as a resource as well. Music Therapy uses music as a way to improve a patient’s wellbeing, and can be employed in different ways, from listening to composition. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, music has several benefits including: lowering blood pressure, improving memory, managing pain and reducing muscle tension. (NAMI, 2022). Music can also reduce production of cortisol, as found in a study that measured cortisol levels in pediatric patients when engaging with Music Therapy (Hasanah and Haikal, 2021).
Another similar tool is Sound Therapy, which uses instruments like singing bowls and tuning forks to create a calming effect on the body. The vibrations of the sound are said to alter brain wave activity to produce more Theta waves, which are the waves associated with deep relaxation. (Travers, 2024). People’s experiences vary – from spiritual to simply relaxing – but the results in lowering symptoms of stress are widely accepted.
Another study looked into Binaural Beats – a form of music when two different frequencies play in each ear – and found that the brain waves of epileptic participants altered to a Hz level between the two frequencies (Macguire, 2022). This is significant in our understanding of how sound frequencies impact the brain.
To close, a final topic to consider related to sound and its [typically] unseen influence, is to look at the field of Cymatics, a term coined by Hans Jenny. Humans have a certain pull toward patterns; we like having a sense of order. Surprisingly, sound vibrations naturally form visual patterns. During an experiment, Hans Jenny laid sand onto plates, played different frequencies, and observed highly structured patterns emerge (Jenny, 1974).
It’s hard not to admire that sound vibrations could produce such symmetrical displays. The patterns remind me very much of art. Music is often synonymous with art, and this demonstration helps me consider how profoundly sound waves can make an impact on the individual listener.
As people continue experiencing heightened levels of stress, the need for developing personalized tool kits that calm the nervous system becomes ever more significant. Music and sound can have healing effects on our physical and mental health, and I hope more people consider integrating both as healing techniques to cope with stress.
Resources
- https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2022/concerned-future-inflation#:~:text=Stress%20and%20the%20consequences%20for,depressed%20or%20sad%20(33%25).
- https://youtu.be/JGxWT4EUVbs?si=glyI7tInM5gMvTu7
- https://www.nami.org/people/music-therapy-more-than-just-entertainment
- https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/78219
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2024/01/16/a-psychologist-explores-the-healing-power-of-sound-baths/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S105913112200214X#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20if%20a%20300,of%20brain%20waves%20%5B39%5D.
- https://monoskop.org/images/7/78/Jenny_Hans_Cymatics_A_Study_of_Wave_Phenomena_and_Vibration.pdf
Paloma is a recent graduate of the Nickerson Institute Integrative mental health coach training program. She has always been a sensitive and creative individual. She loves to observe the world around her and experiment with different forms of creative expression. Paloma’s background is in Sociology and Graphic Design, and she considers this coaching program in Integrative Mental Health to be an exciting next step on her personal journey toward becoming an advocate for helping others live fully and joyfully.
