What happens to your brain in a sound bath?

By Faye Mallett

Imagine this scenario:

You are lying down in a comfortable position, fully supported. Your eyes are closed, and even though you are in a room surrounded by others, you start to feel yourself settling into your own senses. You begin to drop into a deeper awareness of the present moment.

The practitioner guiding the session has begun to introduce the drone-like tones of a singing bowl, or perhaps a gong, along with other instruments. As you focus on these sounds, you notice they are carrying you into a different state of awareness. You can feel your mind slowing down and your body relaxing, perhaps even releasing habitual tension. With your eyes still closed, you observe how the sounds almost seem to “move in” to your mind. This experience unfolds without your conscious effort, resembling the sensation of drifting down the current of a slow-moving river.

Images begin to appear, reminiscent of a dream sequence. Although you are physically present in the room, you inwardly enter a deeper state of awareness, turning toward your inner landscape. What emerges comes from your unconscious: your memories, thoughts, emotions, and sensations. You feel your state completely shifting.

What’s happening to your brain in a sound bath?

The above scenario is very typical of what happens physically in the body and brain during a soundbath. Sound facilitates a slower brainwave state. While this shift may seem small on a frequency scale, it can open up entirely new vistas and ways of being within. As the brainwaves slow, people often experience a transition into altered states of consciousness (ASC). These restorative states are beneficial as they induce deeper rest, lead to greater insightfulness, and promote healing.

Understanding the 5 Brainwave States & What They Signal

There are currently five identified brainwave states: Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma, and Theta.

Gamma and Beta waves are the faster, more active states that occur when we are focused and alert. In contrast, the slower waves—Alpha, Theta, and Delta—occur when we are asleep or in more relaxed, deeper states of consciousness. 

These brainwaves result from patterns of electrical activity in our brains. This activity can be detected and measured using electroencephalograms (EEGs), and the brainwaves are classified according to their speed, or frequency, ranging from fast to slow. Measured in hertz, these frequencies are generated by large groups of neurons firing together. The collective activity of these groups creates different brainwave speeds, which in turn influence various mental and emotional states. [Source: Insight Timer]

How Brainwave States Shift Throughout the Day

Throughout a typical day, from the moment we wake up until we go to bed, we experience rapid fluctuations and changes in our brainwave states. These fluctuations are influenced by various factors, including our environment, activities, levels of stress and anxiety, mood, and cognitive pressures.

Whether it is the rapid focus and alertness of Beta to the calm, relaxed presence of Alpha to the dreamy awareness of Theta, there is no one ideal state. Each one facilitates different levels of awareness, focus and presence, and all are needed for our growth and well-being.

That said, Alpha, Theta, and Delta waves have a special role in promoting healing, integration, restoration, learning, creativity, and deeper repair. This is why the intentional use of sound to shift our mental and emotional states through brainwave activity can provide therapeutic relief, in addition to promoting relaxation. 

How Sound Supports Healing & Repair

How does this happen? When the sounds used in a sound bath fill the environment, their rhythmic frequencies interact with our brains, creating a phenomenon known as entrainment, or frequency following. This means that the neuronal activity in our brains adjusts by either speeding up or slowing down to match the dominant frequencies of the surrounding sound vibrations.  

Entrainment occurs unconsciously and continuously in every environment we encounter that contains vibrational frequencies (which is essentially everywhere!). In a sound bath, instruments are carefully selected for their ability to entrain and shift our brain into slower wave states. This intentional use of sound allows us to experience the restorative benefits associated with these slower states. 

The most commonly reported brainwave states experienced during a sound bath are Alpha and Theta, with some individuals even reaching Delta, which is associated with deep sleep.

ALPHA WAVES (8-14 Hz) — Resting Wakefulness 

Alpha brainwaves represent a state that lies between a busy mind and deep relaxation. Alpha waves help us experience calmness and peace, becoming more receptive, relaxed, and reflective. Stress and anxiety tend to decrease while creativity often increases. Although our minds remain alert and awake, we gain a greater awareness of our thoughts and feelings as separate from ourselves. This increased awareness helps us integrate and learn from our experiences, which explains why many people find that they gain new ideas or clarity on problems after a sound bath.

THETA WAVES (4-8 Hz) — Deep, Dreamlike Relaxation 

While Alpha brainwaves act as a bridge to deep relaxation, Theta brainwaves indicate the arrival. Theta is a dreamy, twilight state that exists between sleep and wakefulness. It is linked to intuition and emotional healing, often accompanied by vivid subconscious imagery. Overall, Theta waves promote a sense of well-being and inner peace. This state is typically achieved by experienced meditators through practice and training. However, during a sound bath, anyone can access a prolonged Theta state experience through entrainment. People who report after a sound bath that time seemed to stop or that it felt like they were floating are describing sensations that can occur in a Theta wave state. 

DELTA WAVES (0.5-4 Hz) — Deep Repair  

Delta waves, the slowest brainwaves, provide the deepest possible sleep state, where physiological repair can take place as we shift into a “rest and digest” mode. In this profoundly relaxed state, our bodies can undergo tissue repair, and our brains form new neuron connections that contribute to adaptive learning, emotional processing, and memory consolidation. Some individuals may achieve this state during a sound bath and emerge from the experience feeling as though they have had the best nap of their lives!

Do nothing, feel better

Bringing it all together, sound is a powerful medium that, when used intentionally, allows us to enter altered states of consciousness to receive healing benefits. It’s vibrational medicine. No meditation training or specific techniques are required to achieve this, making the experience accessible to most people without the need to learn or train in anything new.

The next time you go to a sound bath, take note of how you can bring your focus into observing shifts into Alpha, Theta, and even Delta states of consciousness. Consider what might occur if you fully immerse yourself in these altered states with an intention to become curious about what emerges. 

You may notice how slowing your mind allows your body to relax and how, without any effort, you find yourself viewing your thoughts and emotions from a more detached, open perspective. You might even experience a subconscious stream of images that reveals solutions to problems you’ve been struggling with. You may also notice a shift in your emotional state, or feel a sense of lightness and inner peace pervading. 

Recognize that you are designed to experience these restorative states of being. Whether it’s through a live sound bath or listening to recorded sessions in the comfort of your own home (search for Alpha, Theta, or Delta soundscape recordings online and you’ll find countless options!), sound is a valuable tool for exploring your inner self and accessing the natural healing capacities we all possess . 

A small brainwave shift can open a world of new perceptions. 

Try a Sound bath at Home

Enjoy this beautiful recorded sound bath by Faye Mallett. Find a comfortable space, use quality air pods or ear buds, stretch out, relax, and enjoy.

Download here

Explore Sound Healing with Faye

Faye Mallett is a sound healing practitioner whose sound bath sessions incorporate mindfulness, somatic awareness, and deep listening. Drawing on years of training and experience in immersive sound, music, and contemplative practices, she offers both group and individual sessions designed to support nervous system regulation and embodied connection. Explore Faye’s upcoming group soundbath sessions or inquire about booking a customized sound bath for your event or team.

https://www.fayemallett.com @faye.mallett