Our brainwaves are always active and are constantly shifting throughout the day, depending on what we are doing. From deep sleep to being active and alert, our brainwave states are always changing.

These brainwaves include:

• Beta – (low, medium, high) busy thinking, planning, problem-solving and stress

• Alpha – calm focus, creativity, light meditation.

• Theta – deep relaxation, emotional processing and intuition

• Delta – deep sleep, physical repair and healing

In today’s busy, non-stop world, most of us spend far too much time in medium to high beta brainwave states. This is the state linked to constant thinking, problem solving and alertness. While it’s useful, being there all day keeps the nervous system permanently switched 'on'.

Over time, the body can begin to treat everyday life as something to be managed or survived rather than experienced. This can show up as tension in the body, difficulty switching off, shallow breathing, trouble sleeping and a feeling of underlying overwhelm. The nervous system doesn’t receive clear signals that it’s safe to rest and repair, which is why learning to regularly shift out of high beta is so important for long term wellbeing.

What is so lovely about crystal singing bowls is that they create pure, steady sounds that the brain finds very easy to follow. There is something called entrainment, which simply means the brain naturally begins to match the rhythm it is hearing without any effort from you.

When you listen to crystal singing bowls, either at a sound bath or through headphones at home, the busy 'thinking mind' begins to soften. Brainwaves start to slow, moving from beta into the more calmer alpha and theta states. The nervous system can begin to rest as the body gently comes out of fight or flight.

And what is so lovely about a sound bath is that you don’t have to try to meditate or 'do it right. You really don’t have to do anything at all (well apart from getting comfy and cosy). Your body responds all on its own. And this is what, and this has certainly been my experience, Sound Baths can feel so deeply calming and nourishing, even when meditation has never felt easy before.

So What Is Actually Happening to the Nervous System During a Sound Bath?

As the brainwaves slow, the body naturally begins to shift from the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) into the parasympathetic nervous system, your rest and repair mode.

This can show up as slower, deeper breathing, less tension in the body, improved digestion, and a general sense of feeling less overwhelmed and more grounded.

The Benefits of Listening to Sound Baths Regularly

An occasional sound bath really is lovely.  But it’s regular listening that really supports change.  When sound becomes something you return to consistently, you may start to notice better sleep, feeling less overwhelmed or anxious, a reduced reaction to stress, improved focus, and a calmer, less chattery mind.  I think that Sound Baths as a form of nervous system care, something simple to include in your life to help your body remember how to rest, reset and feel calm and safe again.

Whether you’re listening to a Sound Bath in person or at home through headphones, each session is an invitation for your nervous system to soften a little more and over time, the body learns that it doesn’t have to stay switched on all the time.

You don’t need to 'it right' or actually do anything at all.  All you need to do is get really comfortable, listen to the gentle vibrations of the bowls, rest, and allow the sound to do the work. And in a world that constantly asks us to speed up and do more, doing less, and allowing your nervous system to slow down really can be one of the most supportive things you can do for yourself.