Exploring the Power of Somatic Sound Exercises for Relaxation and Stress Relief

Abby Dougherty
4 min readJul 19, 2024
Photo by Angelina Sarycheva on Unsplash

Effective ways to manage stress and anxiety is crucial. One method that often goes overlooked is the use of sound for somatic (body-focused) healing. Sound exercises can help ground you, release tension, and bring a sense of calm and balance.

Here, we explore several somatic sound exercises that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to enhance relaxation and well-being. Please let me know in the comments if there are any additional exercises to consider. Thank you for reading and be kind to yourself : )

Humming Exercise

Humming is a simple yet powerful way to calm your mind and body.This exercise helps to stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in regulating the body’s stress response.

Steps:
1. Take a deep breath in.
2. On the exhale, hum gently, feeling the vibration in your chest and throat.
3. Continue for several breaths, noticing how the vibration affects your body.

Chanting “Om”

Chanting has been used for centuries in various spiritual traditions for its calming effects. The sound of “Om” is said to represent the universe and can help bring a sense of connection and peace.

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Abby Dougherty

Abby Dougherty, PhD, loves to learn, and produce scholarship on relational-cultural theory, virtual reality, AI, and using mindfulness in counselor education.