Sound Healing 101: The Effect of Different Frequencies on Your Nervous System
SOUND ISN’T JUST SOMETHING YOU HEAR — IT’S SOMETHING YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM FEELS
The human body is deeply responsive to vibration. Sound has the power to calm, activate, nourish or even overwhelm your system — depending on frequency, tempo and resonance. When used intentionally, sound becomes more than a sensory experience. It becomes a tool for nervous system regulation.
This is a foundational guide to sound healing — exploring how different tones and frequencies affect each state and how to use sound as a form of daily care.
HOW SOUND AFFECTS YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM
Sound enters the body through more than just the ears — it reverberates through skin, bones, fascia and fluid. The vagus nerve, a central player in regulation, is highly sensitive to vocal tone and sonic input.
- In Regulation, sound reinforces safety and presence
- In Activation, sound can either overstimulate or soothe the alert system
- In Depletion, sound can reawaken and gently reengage the senses
- In Overload, sound must be minimal, soft and deeply controlled
When chosen with awareness, sound becomes a co-regulator.
STATE SPECIFIC SOUND PRACTICES
In Regulation — Enhance the Field of Calm
- Sounds to include: Nature sounds, harmonic instruments, soft acoustic playlists
- Supportive practice: Sit or walk with soft instrumental music in the background
- Anchor with: A morning playlist that opens the heart without overstimulation
In Activation — Slow the Rhythm and Lower the Frequency
- Sounds to include: 396 Hz or 528 Hz frequencies, slow drum rhythms, ambient tones
- Supportive practice: Listen to binaural beats or breath-paced sound meditations
- Anchor with: A song with a consistent tempo and a low, grounding beat
In Depletion — Reawaken With Gentle Energy
- Sounds to include: Chimes, strings, 432 Hz frequency, gentle piano
- Supportive practice: Lie down and place a speaker near your body to feel the vibration
- Anchor with: Songs that spark warmth or gentle uplift
In Overload — Reduce Input and Return to Simplicity
- Sounds to include: White noise, ocean waves, minimal low-volume tones
- Supportive practice: Use a sound buffer (like a white noise machine) to create sonic space
- Anchor with: Humming to yourself or placing your ear against your own chest or palm
TYPES OF SOUND HEALING MODALITIES
- Tuning forks: Apply specific frequencies directly to the body
- Singing bowls: Create layered vibrations for relaxation or clarit
- Binaural beats: Use slightly different frequencies in each ear to shift brainwave states
- Vocal toning: Use your own voice to regulate from within
- Nature soundscapes: Regulate the system through environmental harmony
Each of these tools can be used with intention — either to guide the system into Regulation or support movement between states.
YOUR BODY IS VIBRATIONAL — SOUND IS A RETURN TO THAT LANGUAGE
The nervous system doesn’t always respond to logic — but it always responds to resonance. Whether you hum softly, play a sound bath or simply listen to rain, sound helps bridge the gap between overwhelm and calm.
When words don’t reach the body, vibration does. You don’t have to understand the science of it to feel its effect — you only have to listen.
Where to Start
The statechanged Method Workbook includes a guide to frequency-based support, somatic sound rituals and suggestions for curating state specific sound environments.
Take the Free Nervous System Assessment Quiz to find your current state and explore which type of sound support is most aligned for you.
Explore our Digital Downloads for state specific audio tools and curated soundscapes — designed to soothe, energize or recalibrate your nervous system through sound.