Fact Checked
Last Updated on January 31, 2025 by
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD
Sound healing for mental and physical health has been used for thousands of years. Yet, the practice is thought of as revolutionary or novel in today’s drug-saturated world. And for good reason! Today’s practitioners are advantaged by a deeper understanding of the mechanics and therefore the wide range of applications of this amazing type of therapy.
Many benefits of sound therapy have been established through neurobiological clinical studies. Even those with hearing impairments, including the hearing loss related to age, and tinnitus, have found beneficial results from sound therapy using certain resonant tones as well as music therapy, according to research published in the 2015 Seminars in Healing and Frontiers in Neuroscience journals.14,15
Jain et al did a study during the recent pandemic showing clinically significant benefits of sound healing for generalized anxiety disorder. Weekly sessions of sound therapy (in this case using tuning forks placed at specified regions of the body) were delivered via Zoom, making it a practical and accessible intervention.7 Observational studies have also showed that instruments like singing bowls and gongs garnered a significant reduction in anxiety, tension, feelings of anger, relieved depression, and a increased feeling of spiritual well-being.8
Sound healing has been clinically shown as highly beneficial for improving sleep quality, reducing the time needed to fall asleep, and sleep duration.9
As mentioned earlier, tuning forks have been successfully used in relieving the pain of migraines since 1881. More recently, chronic pain sufferers have found relief from low-frequency sound and music therapy sessions. It is thought that certain frequencies can reset dysfunction in the brain pathways, and this results in reduced pain signals as well as profound muscle relaxation.10
This is a particularly fascinating area of study that is showing remarkable results. A cognitive performance test was done before and after listening to excerpts from Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” symphonic suite, comparing the results to participants who listened to no music. The participants listening to Vivaldi attained cognitive test results that greatly exceeded those in the “no music” group. Preschool children participated in a study comparing music training sessions with visual arts training sessions. Comparing verbal skills and executive function, even in the short term of 20 days, the children who received the music training segment excelled significantly over those who received visual arts sessions.11
In another study, the participants were adults suffering from type 2 diabetes. It was found that sound therapy not only reduced cortisol and stress levels, but saw a significant increase in their cognitive abilities, focus, and attention.13
Exciting new applications of sound therapy are gaining traction in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, by monitoring imperfect frequencies of internal organs and systems of the body and using sound to transition these from unhealthy to healthy states, or stimulate muscle & bone repair and regeneration.15
Whether you are suffering from unwanted symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, or others, therapies like sound healing for mental health, that do not rely on pharmaceutical drugs are now clearly taking the lead as potentially superior treatment options. In addition to sound therapy, please take time to review the wealth of other treatment options can be found on our services overview pages.
Sound healing, also called the “sound bath” has been used since very ancient times, but many variations of using sound in healing has been clinically studied for the better part of the past century. Alternative to Meds Center has integrated sound healing practices into our inpatient program with open arms so our clients can reap the benefits of this and many other healing protocols on their path to mental wellness.
The practice of using sound healing utilizes various musical instruments and sound-producing devices that set in motion certain frequencies that have been found to foster relaxation, lower stress and anxiety, relieve pain, and can provide an overall sense of emotional balance.
Sedona, nestled in the majestic red rocks of Arizona, makes a perfectly tranquil setting for sound healing and all the benefits it can bring.
Sound healing is a complementary, alternative medicine therapy. According to the research of Bartel and Massabir, the use of certain sound vibrations can induce various psychological, physiological, and biochemical effects. In a clinical setting, these effects are found to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.1
All musical instruments including the human voice, gongs, tuning forks, and singing bowls, produce specific frequencies. Very low frequencies, up to 250 Hz, are the main focus in sound healing.
While music itself has a subjective context, it has been successfully used therapeutically for a very long time. For example after WW 1, music therapy was used in English trauma recovery hospitals. However, the concept of sound healing focuses more specifically on the vibrational effects of sounds and rhythm.
One example of sound healing is the use of the vibration of certain tuning forks as far back as 1881 to successfully relieve the pain of migraine headaches, as reported in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease.2
More recently, research from the 2013 International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation found the use of sound healing produced increased physical and emotional well-being, decreased pain and stress, and increased emotional enrichment and concentration.3
And a comprehensive study published in the 2016 Journal of Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine was done on the effects of sound therapy using Tibetan singing bowl meditation, that showed dramatic improvements in mood, anxiety, pain, and spiritual well-being.4
It has been well-established that sound healing works. Simon Heather likens the body itself to a symphonic orchestra. When every part of the body (like each orchestral instrument) is in tune, the music is harmonious and sweet. 
If one or more instrument is out of tune, the result is dissonance. In the body, such dissonance and disorder can feel like stress, anxiety, depression, or even physical pain.12
Now it’s the job of modern researchers to investigate and document how and why sound therapy restores harmony and improves mental and physical well-being. While more research is needed, more and more studies have come forth that not only substantiate the benefits of sound therapy on both physical and mental health, but seek to explain these effects. The use of binaural beats is an example of a fascinating and non-invasive way to explore this area.
One example is the use of binaural beats. An auditory phenomenon — beats — happens when two slightly different frequencies are played, one in each ear, simultaneously. We are told that on an EEG machine, theta waves range from 4 – 8 Hz in slow, large sized waves. Theta waves are associated with deep relaxation, falling asleep, and daydreaming.5 Da Silva, et al, have increased our understanding with their exploratory work on binaural beats where they monitored EEG patterns and other responses of participants during the study. They reported changes in brain wave patterns, where Delta and Beta waves fell, and Theta waves were increased. These changes coincided with more relaxed states, decreased anxiety, and increased feelings of well-being and concluded that treating insomnia and anxiety would be an excellent application for this type of sound therapy.6
For nearly 2 decades, Alternative to Meds Center has acquired an incredible roster of healing practitioners and medical doctors who specialize in a wide range of complementary disciplines. The addition of sound healing to the wealth of therapies used in designing unique programs for our clients makes our program world-class, with consistently excellent results.
To find out more about how easy it may be for you to come to Sedona and enjoy holistic mental health treatment and inpatient care, please call us directly. With the blending of orthomolecular medicine, safe holistic drug detox, cleansing neurochemicals from the body, IV treatments, sound healing for mental health, and much more, Alternative to Meds Center has developed the protocols that make it a leading treatment center in the world.
We are insurance friendly, and are ready to assist you in answering any questions you may have, and providing all the information to guide you in your decision-making process. The beautiful surrounds of Sedona and our pristine inpatient social setting make an ideal environment for anyone who is seeking therapies such as sound healing, blended with a wealth of science-based and evidence-based treatments. Our clients receive the absolute maximum level of care and attention, so you too can achieve sustainable natural mental wellness.
1. Bartel L, Mosabbir A. Possible Mechanisms for the Effects of Sound Vibration on Human Health. Healthcare (Basel). 2021 May 18;9(5):597. doi: 10.3390/healthcare9050597. PMID: 34069792; PMCID: PMC8157227. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
2. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Vibratory Therapeutics The Application of Rapid and Continuous Vibrations to the Treatment of Certain Diseases of the Nervous System 199(11):p 821-827, November 2011. DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e31823899bc [cited 2025 Jan 14]
3. Ahonan H, Deek P, Kroeker J, Low Frequency Sound Treatment Promoting Physical and Emotional Relaxation – Qualitative Study published in the International Journal of Psycho-social Rehabilitation January 2013 [cited 2025 Jan 14]
4. Goldsby TL, Goldsby ME, McWalters M, Mills PJ. Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017 Jul;22(3):401-406. doi: 10.1177/2156587216668109. Epub 2016 Sep 30. PMID: 27694559; PMCID: PMC5871151. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
5. Bavafa A, Foroughi A, Jaberghaderi N, Khazaei H. Investigating the Efficacy of Theta Binaural Beat on the Absolute Power of Theta Activity in Primary Insomniacs. Basic Clin Neurosci. 2023 May-Jun;14(3):331-340. doi: 10.32598/bcn.2021.2162.1. Epub 2023 May 1. PMID: 38077174; PMCID: PMC10700810. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
6. da Salva Jr M, et al., Exploratory Study on the effect of binaural beats stimulation on EEG activity pattern in resting state using artificial neural networks, published in Cognitive Systems Research Volume 54, 2019 [cited 2025 Jan 14]
7. Jain s, et al, Sound Healing Reduces Generalized Anxiety During the Pandemic, published in the Journal of Complementary therapies in Medicine Vol 74, June 2023 [cited 2025 Jan 14]
8. Goldsby TL, Goldsby ME, McWalters M, Mills PJ. Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017 Jul;22(3):401-406. doi: 10.1177/2156587216668109. Epub 2016 Sep 30. PMID: 27694559; PMCID: PMC5871151.[cited 2025 Jan 14]
9. Messineo L, Taranto-Montemurro L, Sands SA, Oliveira Marques MD, Azabarzin A, Wellman DA. Broadband Sound Administration Improves Sleep Onset Latency in Healthy Subjects in a Model of Transient Insomnia. Front Neurol. 2017 Dec 21;8:718. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00718. PMID: 29312136; PMCID: PMC5742584. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
10. Kantor J, Campbell EA, Kantorová L, Marečková J, Regec V, Karasová K, Sedláčková D, Klugar M. Exploring vibroacoustic therapy in adults experiencing pain: a scoping review. BMJ Open. 2022 Apr 5;12(4):e046591. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046591. PMID: 35383053; PMCID: PMC8984038. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
11. Moreno S, Bialystok E, Barac R, Schellenberg EG, Cepeda NJ, Chau T. Short-term music training enhances verbal intelligence and executive function. Psychol Sci. 2011 Nov;22(11):1425-33. doi: 10.1177/0956797611416999. Epub 2011 Oct 3. PMID: 21969312; PMCID: PMC3449320. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
12. Heather S, What is Sound Healing? published in Wholistic Healing Publications Vol 7, No. 3 September 2007 [cited 2025 Jan 14]
13. Tumuluri I, Hegde S, Nagendra HR. Effectiveness of Music Therapy on Focused Attention, Working Memory and Stress in Type 2 Diabetes: An Exploratory Study. Int J Yoga. 2017 Sep-Dec;10(3):167-170. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.213471. PMID: 29422748; PMCID: PMC5793012. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
14. Formby C, Hawley ML, Sherlock LP, Gold S, Payne J, Brooks R, Parton JM, Juneau R, Desporte EJ, Siegle GR. A Sound Therapy-Based Intervention to Expand the Auditory Dynamic Range for Loudness among Persons with Sensorineural Hearing Losses: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Semin Hear. 2015 May;36(2):77-110. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1546958. PMID: 27516711; PMCID: PMC4906300. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
15. Ayisire, Oghenetega & Roberson, Rashad & Anderson II, Joseph & Kerna, Nicholas & Chawla, Sudeep & Carsrud, Victor & Holets, Hilary & Brown, Stephen & Flores, John & Pruitt, Kevin & Nwokorie, Uzoamaka. (2022). Sound Therapy: Vibratory Frequencies of Cells in Healthy and Disease States. 5. 112-123. 10.31080/eccmc.2022.05.00532. [cited 2025 Jan 14]
Originally Published January 14, 2025 by Diane Ridaeus
Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Diane is an avid supporter and researcher of natural mental health strategies. Diane received her medical writing and science communication certification through Stanford University and has published over 3 million words on the topics of holistic health, addiction, recovery, and alternative medicine. She has proudly worked with the Alternative to Meds Center since its inception and is grateful for the opportunity to help the founding members develop this world-class center that has helped so many thousands regain natural mental health.
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