I believe the human voice has much more potential than we think and that we should use it much more to contribute to our well-being. We don’t have to be able to sing, recite like Tibetan monks or even hit a right note, all we have to do is ‘hum’.
Humming sends vibrations through our bodies and as we have said in other articles we are made of energy, so perhaps it is possible to correct any vibrations, which are out of sync, and influence our well-being.
Obviously I’m not suggesting you cancel your doctor’s appointment and start humming, but you might want to add it to your list of “healthy things to do” during the day, just don’t forget to pick a time when you won’t bother the people around you. you because this may not be good for your health if someone doesn’t like the sound you are making!
There have been some interesting studies done on the benefits of humming, it’s certainly something we can add to our sonic repertoire.
So what are the benefits of humming?
Reduces stress
Humming has an effect on stress levels, in 2011 a study in the International Journal of Yoga’ (1) demonstrated that when participants chanted ‘Om’ the limbic system was deactivated, the limbic system includes various areas of the brain that deal with emotions. Therefore, turning it off can reduce stress and give the individual a sense of calm. The sound of ‘Om’ is very similar to humming, they tested another sound “sssss” but singing it did not cause the limbic system to deactivate.
High levels of stress can seriously damage your health, humming is something most of us can do without any problems, so it makes sense to do it every day.
Endorphin release
Endorphins are hormones that block pain and give us good sensations, these “feel good” hormones are also released when we hum. Some have said that humming can also help reduce pain, although the research is inconclusive, so one way to test this would be to try humming the next time you have a headache, see if it works.
Release of Oxytocin
Oxytocin is known as the “trust hormone” or “love hormone” and seems to cause a bond between people, it seems to create empathy. So activities that allow us to make music together, including humming, can stimulate the release of this hormone. Perhaps drum circles can also have this effect, although more research is needed. (4)
If you have experience singing with a group of people just repeating a simple chant or word, I think you’ll agree that it feels good.
Increased Nitric Oxide Levels
What does nitric acid do? It improves our immune system, our cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It also causes the widening of blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow and decreasing blood pressure. Research conducted in Sweden (2) demonstrated that humming causes the release of nitric acid in the nasal cavity. ‘Humming’ may also cause other cells in the body to release nitric oxide, although more research is needed in this area. Humming is like giving your body a sonic massage.
The video below focuses on the production of nitric oxide, and explains the best way to hum (very important).
Increased Lymphatic Circulation
One of the functions of the lymphatic system is to eliminate toxins from the body, unfortunately we may be exposed to many toxins throughout the day due to our lifestyle, so we really need to be efficient in eliminating them from our body. One of the effects of humming is that it increases oxygen in the cells, partly due to the fact that humming makes you breathe more deeply, this applies to any self-produced sound, however the release of nitric oxide is also a contributing factor. Since ‘humming’ is like an internal sound massage, you activate many areas of your body, help overall circulation and increase the amount of oxygen in your cells.
Increased Melatonin Levels
Melatonin is associated with our circadian rhythm, it helps us sleep but beyond this it also helps remove free radicals from the body. (Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage cells, causing disease and aging.) Plus, melatonin is an antioxidant, supports our immune system, and has anti-inflammatory effects.
Dr Ranjie Singh has shown that self-produced sounds stimulate the pineal gland to release melatonin. In one particular study, he found significantly higher melatonin levels in the group of people who had practiced ‘meditative intonation’. (3)
So, to summarize,
Humming increases: – oxygen in cells, melatonin levels, lymphatic circulation and nitric acid levels
Humming lowers: – stress-related hormone levels, blood pressure and heart rate
Humming causes: – the release of endorphins and oxytocin
The great thing about humming’ is that you don’t need to plug into an outlet, replace or recharge batteries, you don’t need a phone or an internet connection!
Research
- B G. Kalyani, G. Venkatasubramanian, R. Arasappa, N. P. Rao, S. V. Kalmady, R. V. Behere, H. Rao, et al., International Journal of Yoga 4, no. 1 (2011): 3–6.
- Eddie Weitzberg and Jon O. N. Lundberg, “Humming Greatly Increases Nasal Nitric Oxide,” American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 166, no. 2 (2002): 144–45.
- See, for example, the following article about a study that incorporates Dr. Singh’s meditative intonation: N. Absolon, T. Truant, L. Balneaves, et al., “‘I Can’t Sleep’: Gathering the evidence for an innovative intervention for insomnia in cancer patients,” Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal 24, no. 3 (2014): 154–59.
- Seltzer, Ziegler, and Pollak, “Social Vocalizations Can Release Oxytocin in Humans.”
- Goldman, Jonathan; Goldman, Andi. The Humming Effect: Sound Healing for Health and Happiness, Inner Traditions/Bear & Company. Kindle Edition.