Heal with Humming and Take it Further with Singing

Did you know your voice holds incredible healing power? Humming is more than just a soothing sound. Scientific studies reveal that humming can increase nitric oxide levels in your body by up to 1400 percent. Nitric oxide is essential for improving blood flow, enhancing oxygen absorption, and supporting overall cardiovascular health.

Beyond its physical benefits, humming has a profound effect on the nervous system. The vibrations created while humming help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress, and eases anxiety.

Incorporating a few minutes of humming into your daily routine can lead to improved mood, better sleep, and a calmer mind. Whether you hum a favourite tune or simply create a steady hum, your body responds with a natural boost that supports both mental and physical wellness.

Humming is a simple, free, and scientifically-backed method to reduce tension, enhance focus, and uplift your energy. Try humming today and experience the transformative effects for yourself. Your voice is not just a means of communication, it is a tool for healing and restoring balance.

Meanwhile, here's my own personal reflection on The Healing Power of Humming — and How Singing Takes It Even Further

In my younger days, I sang in the choir and even took basic voice lessons. Those experiences taught me not only about harmony and rhythm, but also about the pure joy that comes from using one’s own voice. Recently, I came across a fascinating bit of science suggesting that something as simple as humming can actually help heal the body.

According to recent studies, humming boosts nitric oxide production in the nasal passages by as much as 1400%. Nitric oxide plays an important role in dilating blood vessels, improving oxygen flow, and even supporting the immune system. It also has a calming effect on the nervous system—something I think many of us could use in our fast-paced, worry-filled world.

When you hum, the vibration resonates through your chest, throat, and face, stimulating the vagus nerve—one of the body’s main channels for relaxation. That may explain why humming can ease anxiety and help us feel more centered.

But then I wondered: if humming is that beneficial, what about singing?

From my own experience, singing feels like an emotional release—a way of lifting the spirit while connecting breath, body, and mind. Singing, especially when done with deep breathing and proper technique, expands lung capacity, strengthens the diaphragm, and promotes better circulation. It also releases endorphins and oxytocin, the body’s “feel-good” hormones, creating a sense of happiness and belonging.

In that sense, singing might be considered enhanced humming. The same vibrations that hums produce also occur when we sing, but with greater variety in pitch, rhythm, and emotion. Singing in a choir, as I once did, added another dimension—community. Harmonizing with others seemed to multiply the joy, and perhaps, the healing as well.

So, whether you hum softly to yourself during quiet moments or sing aloud to your favorite tune, remember that your voice is more than just sound—it’s medicine.

Much like my weekly full-body massages, which have become a cherished part of my wellness routine, humming and singing remind me that healing doesn’t always come from outside interventions. Sometimes, it comes from within—from the soothing rhythm of breath, the vibration of the voice, and the simple act of being present in our own bodies.

If you’d like to give it a try, start with just a few minutes of humming each day. Notice how it feels in your chest, your head, and your breath. Or sing along to a favorite song that lifts your mood. Whether in harmony or solitude, your voice can be a gentle, natural path to inner peace and healing.

Finally here's the AI Overview on this Topic:

"Heal with Humming and Take it Further with Singing" is the title of 

a guided meditation by sound therapist Kimba Arem, developed as part of the CD Self-Healing with Sound and Music, co-authored with Dr. Andrew Weil. The track guides listeners to use their own voice for healing. 

How humming and singing promote healing

Humming and singing use vocal vibrations to stimulate the body's natural relaxation response. 

Nervous system regulation

• Vagus nerve activation: The vagus nerve is a major nerve that connects the brain to the body's organs and plays a key role in the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls "rest and digest" functions. The vocal cord vibrations from humming or singing stimulate this nerve.
• Reduced stress: By activating the vagus nerve, these vocal techniques help lower the stress hormone cortisol, decrease heart rate, and reduce blood pressure.
• Increased nitric oxide: Humming has been shown to increase the production of nitric oxide in the nasal passages by up to 15 times compared to quiet breathing. Nitric oxide is a molecule that relaxes blood vessels, leading to better blood flow and improved oxygenation throughout the body. 

Emotional and mental benefits

• Enhanced mood: Both humming and singing can trigger the release of endorphins, which are the body's natural mood-enhancing chemicals. This can help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
• Increased mindfulness: Focusing on your breath and the physical vibrations of the sound encourages a meditative and mindful state.
• Vocal warm-up: Humming is a standard practice for singers to warm up their vocal cords and prepare for singing. 

Taking it further with singing

While humming provides foundational healing effects, singing takes the practice to a deeper level.

• More profound vibration: Singing allows for a greater range of vocal tones, which creates more diverse and powerful internal vibrations throughout the body.
• Emotional release: Singing can be a more expressive and powerful outlet for releasing emotions than humming.
• Community and connection: Singing in a group, such as a choir, adds the emotional and psychological benefits of community and belonging. 

Arem and Weil's Self-Healing with Sound and Music

This album, and the specific track mentioned, features two parts: 

• Session 1: Dr. Weil discusses the medical research supporting the healing power of sound, while Arem provides instruction on breathing and vocalization techniques.
• Session 2: This is a guided "sound journey" track with layered sounds and frequencies. It incorporates instrumentation from didjeridoo, Native American and Celtic flutes, and Tibetan and crystal bowls, along with Arem's voice. 
• Personal: THD Karaoke Singing organized by Ted Treat is one of the activities 
• I enjoyed very much. With Ted gone the last couple of days( rumors circulated he was
•  terminated involuntary or quit because he found another good paying job with benefits).
•  If the first rumor indicating he was terminated without the 2 weeks notice is  true,
•  this action does not speak well  of THD management. Ted was well-like by everybody
•  here at THD. He was the one who introduce me to AI assisting me on my daily blogging.
•  If you are a THD resident  and have been positively touched by Ted, I am planning to
•  write a blog on him. I would appreciate if you can say a word or two about Ted and
•  how it affects your life here in THD positively.
• 
  
• UPDATE: I talked to Barbara and Jenny this morning. The official word is 
• that Ted is sick.I hope he comes back. Ted the residents love you!