Nature’s sounds are powerful — even if you’re tuning in virtually
Illustrations by Sophie Parsons
by Angela Yates
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A crescendo of crashing wave sounds filled the quiet village hall while, cozily huddled in a blanket with my eyes closed, I was utterly transported from an English country village to the wildness of a stormy beach.
At the end of my first sound bath experience, the session leader advised that returning to reality could take a little time. Slowly, I sat up, sipped some herbal tea, and gazed at the impressive array of crystal bowls, chimes, and gongs that had provided such immersive sounds.
After this transformative experience, which led to the best night’s sleep I’d had in months, I delved a little further into the science behind sound baths to explore what makes these increasingly popular experiences such an effective form of sound therapy.
One key component to many sound baths is the sound frequencies produced by Tibetan singing bowls. These activate certain brain waves during listening, putting the listener into a theta brainwave pattern, which may effectively facilitate meditation and relaxation, as a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Sophie Parsons
Sound therapist Gemma Deane, owner of The Gong Bath, describes what happens physically during a sound bath. “Your heart rate and breathing will slow, blood pressure will slightly drop, there will be a decrease in adrenaline and cortisol and an increase in positive hormones such as endorphins, oxytocin, and dopamine,” Deane says.
A study in The Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine found that this form of meditation may indeed have the capacity to lower blood pressure and heart rate.
The effects aren’t just physiological. There are powerful psychological effects gained from the deep sense of relaxation and calm that can be achieved. Deane explains, “After the session, those calm and positive feelings can be carried into the rest of your day and sometimes a few days afterward. Like any form of meditation or healing therapy, sound baths can help you towards better physical and mental health.”
Although sound bath research is still at a developmental stage, there’s substantial evidence for the wider effectiveness of nature-based sound therapy. A 2021 study of the health benefits of natural soundscapes in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that listening to nature-made noise may decrease pain and stress and improve cognitive function and mood.
Modern technology puts this type of sound therapy right in your pocket, with a wide range of immersive audio apps such as Bettersleep, Rain Rain, and Wild Journey.
If you can’t get to a sound bath or local park, try popping on headphones to hear oceans, waterfalls, or rainforests. Simply listening to tracks like these can aid mindfulness, relaxation, and sleep.
Sophie Parsons
The Portal app combines spatial audio with high-fidelity visuals to provide a multi-sensory experience that aims to recreate the feeling of actually being immersed in some of the world’s most beautiful locations — right on your Apple device’s screen.
Portal’s head of customer success, Stu Chan, explains, “The combination of true-to-life sound, visuals, and lighting really helps tap into our subconscious, evoking an authentic sense of presence that’s key to shifting our state of mind and Portal’s effectiveness.”
Portal’s clients use the app for a wide variety of wellness needs, from relaxation during childbirth to end-of-life care and even to calm anxious pets!
But for anyone who can do so, there’s still no substitute for the impactful, stress-relieving experience of actually being outside, immersed in nature's sights, sounds, and atmosphere.
For Deane, this is a tonic that her practice complements: “Being outside in nature is powerfully nourishing and restorative on many levels, and everyone should get outside daily for natural sunlight.” However, she adds, “If you have trouble quieting your mind or switching off your fight/flight responses, lying back in a peaceful and dark sound bath is definitely something to try.”
Chan points out that since the average person spends 90% of their time indoors, Portal aims to “open up the benefits of natural surroundings by bringing them into our indoor spaces, and make them accessible throughout the day, not just when we’re outside.”
Research continues, but the anecdotal evidence is overwhelmingly positive. Time spent immersed in nature sounds, even if virtual, can be a positive experience for your well-being and a welcome way to step out of the hectic pace of modern life for a moment of restorative mindfulness.
Discover the benefits of a sound bath for yourself
Let the combination of the mesmerizing harp and raindrop patter transport you into a present state of mind, suspended from everyday worries.