The brain is an incredible organ, and keeping it healthy and well taken care of is very important for overall well-being.
One of the most talked-about aspects of mental health is the study and implementation of techniques that can help to reduce anxiety levels in the human body.
Anxiety is directly related to stress levels and overall mental health and should be taken very seriously as a top priority.
Sound therapy has been around for centuries and has been accepted by Western medicine as an effective way to help people cope with anxiety.
It contributes to the stabilization of the nervous system, as it acts on the ear-brain connection that is directly linked to our nerves and synaptic mechanisms.
In this article, we will list and discuss some of the best relaxing sounds for anxiety.
Whispering
Whispering is known to be one of the relaxing sounds that can soothe anxious feelings. This is one of the most common ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) triggers in humans.
Gentle whispering can help create feelings of calmness and relaxation.
Studies have shown that light whispering can release neurochemicals such as oxytocin and endorphins, which will inherently help to induce a relaxing state of mind and contribute to reducing anxiety.
Ticking Clocks
The sound of a ticking clock is another sound that has been reported to help with anxiety in certain individuals.
This relaxing phenomenon is most likely due to the metronome-style sound that a ticking clock produces.
This repetitive sound that follows a consistent rhythmic pattern may help create order and familiarity in the brain, which will promote feelings of relaxation.
This will help reduce anxiety in certain individuals. Remember that this may not be for everyone, and some people may actually find the sound of a clock ticking to be aggravating and actually anxiety-inducing.
Page Turning
Another sound-based trigger that has been said to help reduce feelings of anxiety is the sound produced by pages turning.
Depending on preference, people have reported to prefer the smooth sounds of glossy, relatively untextured magazine or glossed textbook pages.
Other individuals seem to prefer the more natural, gritty or papery sounds of a typical book or novel.
Rainfall
The sound of rainfall is known as a popular anxiety-reducing sound that is often featured in many anxiety relief soundtracks and videos.
Studies have found that these sounds upon entering the human brain will produce alpha waves, which are present when the brain is approaching a state of sleep or extreme relaxation.
The predictable pattern is calming and the general sound range somewhere between 0 and 20 kHz is non-threatening.
Ocean Waves
The sounds produced by ocean waves are popularly known to help reduce anxiety and help people relax enough to fall asleep without trouble.
Ocean waves produce a number of different tones and other aspects that wash over the human ear and inherently cause people to move into a state of mental relaxation.
There is such depth to the fluctuating sound of ocean waves that send thousands of impulses to the brain. However, they are spread quite evenly across the frequency spectrum.
Our brains will not try to pick out individual tones associated with the “whooshing” of the waves, and will instead succumb to the symphony of relaxing tones, which will help reduce anxious feelings.
Fire Crackling
The sound of a fire crackling is another well-known anxiety reducer and is featured in many sound-therapy soundtracks and videos.
Studies have shown that listening to the consistent crackling sound of a fire burning, particularly with a longer duration, contributes to a decrease in blood pressure and a resulting reduction of anxious feelings.
These fire sounds induce relaxation as part of a multisensory experience that engages but relaxes the brain.
Tibetan Singing Bowls
Tibetan singing bowl sound therapy is actually a time-tested form of regeneration and relaxation that originated from ancient times.
These bowls were made from a combination of various metals and were used in the far east over 6000 years ago. The sound produced by the vibrational tones of these bowls serves to ease emotional tension and blockages while reducing the anxiety and stress involved with mental and emotional pain (low self-esteem, fear, anger etc..).
Tibetan singing bowls and the associated unique sound therapy has been proven to stabilize blood pressure, renew the function of the adrenal gland, and improve the synaptic responses in our brains.
Nature/Forest Sounds
Things like the soothing sound of the wind flowing through a forest, birds chirping and the gentle flow of a river over the rocks are all known to be anxiety-reducing sounds.
Research has shown that these “green space” sounds that are present in woodlands, forests, and other areas that are full of nature are directly related to an improved sense of relaxation and well-being.
When listening to an array of natural sounds, the brain reverts to an outward-directed focus of attention, as opposed to an inward-directed focus of attention when listening to artificial sounds.
Allowing the brain to direct its focus outward instead of inward is directly related to relaxation, peace, and reduced feelings of anxiety.
Celtic Meditation Music
Meditation music, in general, has been proven to significantly reduce the levels of the hormone cortisol in our bodies, which is known as the stress hormone, or nature’s built-in alarm system.
It has also been associated with improving sleep, and the rewiring of brain connections which has a myriad of positive emotional and mental effects.
The combination of both calming music and meditation creates an incredibly powerful and positive shift in our mental state, which will contribute directly to anxiety relief.
Try out some celtic meditation music, which can be found on our youtube channel!
Solfeggio Frequencies
Solfeggio frequencies are specific tones of sound that contribute to the facilitation of a variety of positive mind and body healing processes.
These frequencies have been dated back to ancient times and were used in Eastern Indian religions, Western Christianity, and in Indian Sanskrit chants.
There are a number of specific frequencies that help with different aspects of mind and body healing.
The 852 Hz frequency has been proven to facilitate the replacement of negative thoughts and emotions with positive ones.
This makes it a perfect supplemental remedy for reducing stress, nervousness, and anxiety in humans. It also has been found to help with awakening intuition and promoting inner strength.
Conclusion
We have provided a list of ten relaxing sounds for anxiety relief, as well as discussed in more detail the positive effects that each can provide.
Everything from whispers and the turning of pages, to ocean waves, nature sounds, and the more scientifically driven solfeggio frequencies have been covered.
Consider the information we have provided, discover which of these sounds is most effective for anxiety relief, and apply that to your life and others in need. Thanks for reading!
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