Humming: Simple, Natural and Effective Healing

Humming is one of the simplest – and most powerful – forms of sound healing available to us. Babies and young children hum instinctively to self-soothe or express gentle contentment. When my son was little, he’d happily hum while eating his favourite food! As adults, we might hum under our breath while concentrating, or simply as an unconscious sound of ease.

But humming does far more than comfort us emotionally. On a physical level, it can reduce stress, calm anxiety, improve sleep, and help lower heart rate and blood pressure.

Research also shows that humming stimulates the release of oxytocin – often called the “love hormone” – which supports feelings of connection, bonding and wellbeing.

The known benefits of humming include:

• Increased energy and stamina
• Regulated breathing and blood pressure
• Improved balance, coordination and posture (making movement easier)
• Balanced brain waves, leading to calm, relaxation, better sleep and hormone balance
• Improved clarity, focus and comprehension
• Strengthened immunity and increased antibodies
• Clearer sinuses (a heads-up: you may notice drainage at the back of the throat!)

Daily hummers often say they feel “more connected to myself,” “calmer and more grounded,” “better able to cope,” and even describe the sensation as an “inner massage.”

Why do I hum?

I hum when I’m rushed, frazzled or overwhelmed. It naturally lengthens the exhale, gently shifting the body from fight-or-flight (the sympathetic nervous system) into rest-and-digest mode (the parasympathetic nervous system).

I hum when I’m tired or lethargic too – surprisingly, humming can lift energy and mood. And when my to-do list feels too long and my head too full, humming creates space, clarity and perspective.

I also hum at the beginning of a longer chant practice. Sometimes less really is more. I’ll hum for three minutes, follow with Bija (single-syllable sounds with a natural humming vibration), then sit in silence. Simple, soothing, and it works a treat.

Hum now…

Try humming a tune – Happy Birthday works well. Notice how your tongue rests low in the mouth, the mouth cavity stays fairly flat, and the vibration is felt in the throat and upper chest.

There’s another way to hum…

Alfred Tomatis, a French ear, nose and throat specialist, studied how our ability to hear certain sound frequencies affects our health, energy, mood and learning. He developed the Tomatis Method after discovering that if we can’t hear certain frequencies, our voice doesn’t contain them either – and when hearing changes, the voice changes immediately.

Dr Tomatis found that by changing the shape of the mouth while humming, vibrations are redirected into the roof of the mouth and towards the pituitary, hypothalamus and pineal glands, as well as into the inner ear and the vagus nerve (the 10th cranial nerve). This has become very popular in recent decades – but Tomatis was well ahead of his time.

The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in the autonomic nervous system, regulating digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, mood and immune response, and carrying sensory information from the organs to the brain.

Try this:

Purse your lips as if you’re gently kissing your finger, keeping the mouth soft. Notice the “cave-like” shape this creates. Now hum. You may feel vibration in the roof of the mouth, jawline (and even the inner ears), and upper chest. If you feel very little, keep practising gently. You might also try lifting your chin slightly or raising the pitch a touch.

Your voice can heal

Your voice is your first instrument. Through humming and simple sounds, it directly influences your physical, mental and emotional health. Yet so often we reach for external solutions when we’re struggling.

From my own experience – and from teaching people how to hum for nearly three decades – I’ve seen how daily humming, even for short periods, can have a profound impact on health, energy and mood.

Healing chant and mantra have an abundance of humming and resonance embedded within them; when we chant slightly longer mantras there is a gentle extended vibration – coupled with a healing energy too.

Give humming a try… and let me know how you get on.

If you’d like to learn more about the power of humming, healing chant and sound, I’m running a Free webinar “The Art of Healing Chant” on Wednesday 14th January, 7-8pm – it would be lovely to see you. (You can Book your place Here).