Sound Baths 101: A Science-Backed Path to Relaxation and Well-Being

Hello Wellness Within Community,

As part of the Wellness Within Community, you’re likely familiar with many natural techniques that support those whose lives have been impacted by cancer. These include yoga, mindfulness meditation, qigong, music therapy, and the expressive arts.

We would like to introduce you to another modality that research has shown to provide pain relief, reduce anxiety and fatigue, boost mood, and promote relaxation—sound baths.

The Stanford Neuroscience Health Center offers a helpful description:

“Sound baths are based on ancient healing methods that promote deep rest and relaxation. A sound bath is like a deep tissue massage. Benefits can include improved sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, relief from chronic pain, and a renewed sense of well-being and calm. The session begins with gentle breathing, followed by a guided meditation accompanied by the deep healing sounds of the sound bowls. The sounds help your mind slow and your body rest and heal.”

During a sound bath, participants are surrounded by the vibrations and tones of instruments such as singing bowls, gongs, chimes, drums, rainsticks, and ting-shas. These sounds foster a calm, meditative state, often helping the mind release chatter that can sometimes interfere with mindfulness or meditation.

The soothing vibrations also encourage brainwaves to slow from an active state to a relaxed, meditative state, naturally lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. A 2025 medical study that included cancer patients, Effects of Tibetan Singing Bowl Intervention on Psychological and Physiological Health in Adults: A Systematic Review, concluded:

“Tibetan Singing Bowl interventions demonstrate potential for stress reduction and psychological well-being, offering a non-invasive, low-risk, and widely accepted complementary method supporting therapeutic processes.”

If you’d like to experience the calming and restorative effects of a sound bath, Wellness Within will be offering monthly sessions starting November 13th

 Additional references:
Therapeutic effects of singing bowls: A systematic review of clinical studies - PMC

Feasibility of a trial with Tibetan Singing Bowls, and suggested benefits in metastatic cancer patients. A pilot study in an Italian Oncology Unit - ScienceDirect

Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study - PMC

Tibetan sound meditation for cognitive dysfunction: results of a randomized controlled pilot trial - PMC

Physiological and psychological effects of a Himalayan singing bowl in meditation practice: a quantitative analysis - PubMed