The World of Soundwork has Become a Bigger World

The human nervous system (NS) is a complex series of communication channels to and from the brain. A 45-mile network of internal nerve fibers and sensors, influenced by body-produced chemicals and brain perceptions, the NS is the ultimate communications highway. 

Having evolved in the last 500+ million years, we now view the NS and the 10 other primary human organ systems anew – from a need-informed lens.

As technology enables us to enhance, modify, and create entirely new biological capabilities, where does sound fit into the 21st century biological marathon?

However, I actually have another question that might be asked first: 

How can the human body change itself, and does sound play a part?

 Abu Dhabi, UAE - December 14, 2019: Traditional Al Ayalah dance at Al Hosn Festival

A Different Need Presents and the Body Adapts

Case in point: Is it possible to use our onboard breathing system differently to produce a more refined human coping mechanism?

Ancient Indian and Chinese cultures were so intelligent. 2500+ years ago, both cultures were already using breath to create differing states of consciousness and greater health. Flash forward to the 21st century, and now we have multiplying waves of mental health issues as a consequence of cultural changes downgrading employment, money, food, etc.

What happens if instead of a pill, we learn how to breath differently? Perhaps this is what evolution is about: a different need presents and the body adapts. Maybe our bodies were smarter before, but now we need greater stress resilience. How do we get that? Dial up a different body mechanism. Who would have thought that sound plays a role in that? 

A New Collaborative Role for Sound 

Most people inhale/exhale about 15x a minute. To make changes to our NS, our goal is to get our breath rate down to 5-6x a minute. How? 

We simply learn to inhale/exhale for :12 seconds each cycle.  A :04 /inhale and :08/exhale is known as a 1:2 breath ratio. By slowing our breath and creating an extended exhale, we're creating the ideal conditions to shift the body into parasympathetic dominance–the state of rest and restore. Slowing our breath also helps reduce our heart rate, but the real power in this equation is the extended exhale, which both activates the parasympathetic NS, and also provides more time for the vagus nerve to fire with each breath cycle.

Many humans do not breath slowly enough to have an :08 exhale. But when we hum or tone, we use less air. Consequently, humming creates a longer exhalation. And, because nasal breathing is better for this health-directed technique, we can’t make any other sound than a hum with our lips closed. It works out perfectly:

It works out perfectly:

Sound > Extended Breath > Vagus nerve stimulation > parasympathetic NS counteracts sympathetic NS fight or flight > autonomic NS equilibrium.

These five building blocks create a circle of cause and effect: 

Sound facilitates extended exhalation which causes vagus nerve stimulation, resulting in parasympathetic NS messaging (rest and restore) that counteracts sympathetic NS activation of fight or flight. 

The net effect: autonomic NS equilibrium.

Sound as Part of a Functional Body Orchestra  

Using the breath to enhance the parasympathetic NS for sympathetic NS down regulation is our goal. And sound plays an important part! This is not sound as a solo violin, but sound as part of a cooperative orchestra working together to create a result that makes a difference.

Usually when we think of soundwork, we consider sound in a vacuum, generally an exclusive sound focus. I’m suggesting we begin to think about sound as an important team player, a component of a larger picture. Similar to being in a violin section, think of sound as a section player.

I've recently written an article, Sound for Nervous System Regulation, that appears in the summer edition of the Harp Therapy Journal. Here's a PDF for your pleasure. It takes the above concepts into a deeper dive. 

Harp Therapy Journal.pdf

Download PDF • 12.22MB

Recommended Reading:

• Colombo, Joseph, et al. (2015). Clinical Autonomic Dysfunction. 

• Goldman, Jonathan & Andi. (2017). The Humming Effect. 

• Madaule, Paul. (1994). When Listening Comes Alive. 

• Natareza, Gabriel. (2024). The Neurobiology of Connection. 

• McKeown, Patrick. (2015). The Oxygen Advantage. 

• Passaler, Linnea. (2024). Heal Your Nervous System. 

• Porges, Stephen and Porges, Seth. (2023). Our Polyvagal World. 

• Schwartz, Lillah A. (2025). Consciously Exhale: The Power of Breath. 

The NeuroArts Blueprint

Another example of form of collaborative is found in the NeuroArts Blueprint.  Per their website, https://neuroartsblueprint.org. “Neuroarts is the transdisciplinary study of how the arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change the body, brain, and behavior and how this knowledge is translated into specific practices that advance health and wellbeing.”

Launched in 2019, the NeuroArts Blueprint: Advancing the Science of Arts, Health and Wellbeing is a partnership between the Johns Hopkins International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics and the Aspen Institute’s Health, Medicine & Society Program. “The initiative engages leaders across a wide range of disciplines, as well as people with lived experience. Together, they are helping to drive the paradigm shift necessary to fully integrate arts and aesthetic experiences into activities that will advance individual and collective health across the planet.”

The first part of this blog is about noticing the workings of inner body practices, this second part (Neuroarts), is about collaborations of artforms. This is one of the benefits of the 21st century: brain science meets the arts and causes collaborative efforts for health and well-being. This comes together because of science showing the effect of all arts on the brain.

Welcome to the orchestra! 

The world of soundwork has become a bigger world.