The (not so) Humble Hum
Have you ever seen a person humming who looks stressed? Who looks unhappy? Who looks agitated or hopeless? I haven't! When I contemplate people humming, I think of my mum happily humming a favourite tune (albeit her own, modified version!) whilst baking or cooking in her kitchen, my nine-year-old humming a reassuringly plain monotone while deeply focused in building a complex Lego mechanism or searching for creatures in a rock pool. I think of the humming noise yogis make on an exhale, radiating a comforting peacefulness. I think of bees pollinating our gardens, humming with purpose and beauty as they go.
Would you be surprised if I told you that the simple act of humming can 'reduce stress, induce calm, enhance sleep and heal us in incredible ways'*? And if I told you that there is significant scientific evidence demonstrating the positive effect humming has on our physiology; that there are papers of research, of facts and figures, that this isn't just anecdotal but based on a wide body of studies carried out by experts...
I will happily admit that even as someone who knew about the power of many types of breathing techniques (including a sigh or a hum on an exhale), until I read the book that prompted this blog post 'The Humming Effect' by Jonathan and Andi Goldman, I was flabbergasted when I learned the extent to which simple humming could transform a person's health.
Maybe you're reading this thinking 'yeah I guess I can see the possibility of a bit of humming being good for me' or maybe you're thinking this all sounds a bit far-fetched. Consider this: have you felt a visceral response in your body and mind when you've listened to a live choir sing in harmony, to the repetitive sound of waves crashing against a shore or to gongs and singing bowls at a sound bath? If talk of 'sound healing' immediately sets your teeth on edge or gives visions of joss sticks and candles (I love these as much as the next person but they're not boosting my immune system as far as I know), then just focus on the science of it for a moment with this excerpt from the book: 'Sound is energy that travels as a wave. The wave enters our ears and travels through our auditory pathways into our brain, ultimately affecting our breathing, heart rate, and nervous system.'*
With that said, here's a very simplified summary of FIVE key things humming does:
Humming measurably increases the level of Nitric Oxide in our bodies – something we crucially need for health and wellbeing and that when compromised is often a precursor to a plethora of serious conditions and diseases.
Humming reduces blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones – it takes us out of the ‘fight/flight’ stress response and brings many key bodily functions back into balance (homeostasis), and into the ‘rest/digest’ mode.
Humming increases Melatonin levels – this chemical hormone is associated with key bodily functions including sleep. Some studies also suggest it helps fight diseases and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Humming releases Endorphin and Oxytocin in our bodies – these are the ‘happy’ or ‘feel good’ hormones we hear about. As well as inducing positive moods, feelings of love and connection, these chemicals can also help reduce pain.
Humming increases Lymphatic Circulation – this is significant as the lymphatic system gets rid of a lot of bodily toxins we don’t need; that can negatively impact health. It also transports white blood cells and helps with our immune response.
If you think these benefits are wild (humming is innate, so I guess it is our wild humanity shining through!) then you may have to do a double take (or double read) if you get your hands on a copy of this book or do your own research and discover even more benefits and hypotheses for even more astounding things that conscious humming can do.
And we're talking about minutes out of your day to consciously hum, using a range of simple techniques that could do so much good stuff for your health and wellbeing. This is what really excites me as a meditation teacher; this is a practice that could appeal to so many. There are lots of people who tell me they've tried meditating, and it just didn't suit them. But they usually talk about traditional breath, visualisation or mantra meditation. And while the health benefits of chanting meditations might not be enough to make this a relatable practice, what could be more relatable than humming? What if they could sit and hum for 5 minutes with a few minutes either side to settle and ground themselves? What if they could bathe in their own mini sound bath with self-created sound, simply resting in that reassuring vibration of energy from that natural and gentle hum?
Here's how to try a conscious hum (still in the humming family but more of a second cousin to humming along to that catchy advert on the radio):
Sit comfortably, close your eyes and allow your stomach to relax and soften.
Take some full, gentle breaths, encouraging your diaphragm to fully inflate and deflate.
Once you feel settled, take a full inhale then hum on the exhale until you’ve completed the out breath. If humming doesn’t flow easily, try saying ‘Omm’.
Either repeat step 3 or take a standard breath here and then repeat step 3. Complete step 3 five times.
Return to your normal breathing rhythm and take a few minutes to rest in the silence and any vibrational resonance that might emerge.
I'm certainly no expert on this fascinating modality, but there are people out there who are, so if this has piqued your interest, why not check out *The Humming Effect by Jonathan and Andi Goldman. I've been using the tools in their book for the last 6 weeks and I honestly have loved every moment of it (especially using it before bed on nights my mind is busy); it is a completely new type of meditation for me and my boys enjoyed practicing the techniques with me too. I'm definitely going to be including a few hums in my Development Meditation classes soon...I just need to ensure I don't drift into a rendition of the Crash Test Dummies song 'Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm'!
Emma X