Sound Healing with
Your Own Voice to Calm You
in Less than 5 Minutes
Do you find yourself humming throughout the day? Maybe you do it in the shower, while doing the dishes, or finishing other small tasks. It’s typically a natural response to feeling satisfied and content, so it’s no surprise that research shows that humming releases endorphins and powerful neurochemicals like oxytocin.
Additionally, humming can reduce stress, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and even help us sleep better.
For this reason, humming can be a great meditative technique to use when the stress of life starts to get to you, or whenever you just need a moment to recenter.
One study even found that a meditation chant ending in a humming sound–the commonly used “om” — reduced activity in areas of the brain that are associated with depression.
So, humming is a scientifically backed self-soothing technique! Here’s something you can try out the next time you’re feeling upset or ungrounded:
Self-Soothe
Through Your Own Voice
- The first step is to tell yourself one simple phrase: “This too shall pass. Let it go and move on.”
“This too shall pass” is a commonly used affirmation that I’m sure you’ve heard before–but saying it to yourself can do wonders! Affirmations are powerful tools, and they’re proven to protect against the damaging effects of stress. - Take a pause. Then, make a humming sound of your choice, whether it’s “hmmmm” or something like “laaaa-maaa.”
Hum like this for a minute. Focus on the sensation of humming and the sound you’re making. - Shush yourself with repeated “shhhhhh” sounds for another minute, just as a parent might have when you were young and upset.
- Finally, tell yourself that “All is good,” and believe it!
Notice the sense of calm you’ve given yourself with these techniques.
MySerenity.Love Offers a Helping Hand
Life can be incredibly stressful at times, especially when you’re a caregiver for a loved one. At MySerenity.Love, we’re here to offer you guidance so that you can always find time to take care of yourself even as you care for others.
Learn more in my book “Self-Care for Family Caregivers,” and remember that relaxation can be just a few hums away!
