The Sound of Healing: How Music and Touch Calm the Nervous System

Have you ever noticed how music can touch you in a way that words never could?

The human body is wired for vibration. Deep within us, the vagus nerve, a key part of our nervous system, listens and responds to these subtle signals, helping to regulate our sense of safety, connection, and wellbeing.

Recently, I had a powerful reminder of this truth.

After a couple of emotionally challenging weeks, I was grateful to have something to look forward to: a night out to see a rock band called Empyre, a group I'd first discovered last year at BonFest. During their track New Republic, a powerful song questioning human wars and holding onto hope for renewal, the bass guitarist and drummer combined to create a deep sub drop.

The vibration hit like a shock wave, rolling through the room and right through my body. For a moment, it felt as if the very air was alive, and I could feel the music not just in my ears, but in every cell. It took my breathe away and I looked for repeats throughout the song.

The venue’s low, stone-vaulted ceiling amplified the soundwaves so powerfully that I could feel the air moving around me. It wouldn’t have surprised me if my hair had lifted! That physical sensation, combined with the emotional intensity of the song’s message, left me feeling energised and more connected, both to myself and to something much bigger. It reinforced something I often say: music is life.

And it’s not just a feeling. Experiences like this have a biological foundation. Let’s explore how vibration, music, and the vagus nerve work together to support healing and emotional release.

The Vagus Nerve: Your Inner Pathway to Calm and Connection

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, connecting the brain to the heart, lungs, gut, and beyond. It's a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for rest, digestion, repair, and social connection.

When the vagus nerve is well-toned and healthy, we feel more resilient, more present, and better able to move through life's challenges. But when it becomes overwhelmed by stress, trauma, or emotional strain, it can be harder to find a sense of safety or calm.

The good news is that the vagus nerve can be stimulated and strengthened, and vibration is one of its favourite languages.

Vibration and the Body: A Natural Dialogue

At our core, we are vibrational beings. Every organ, every cell, even our emotions carry their own energetic frequencies. When we experience vibration, through music, voice, touch, or movement, it sends messages deep into our nervous system.

Low-frequency vibrations, like the deep bass and drum resonance I felt at the gig, often have a grounding, settling effect. Rhythmic, flowing sounds can synchronise with our heartbeat and breathing, gently encouraging our body towards a calmer, more regulated state.

It’s a dialogue without words... and the vagus nerve is listening closely.

Music, Sound, and the Vagus Nerve: Healing Through Resonance

Research has shown that certain sounds and musical practices can directly activate the vagus nerve. For example:

• Humming, singing, or chanting creates internal vibration around the throat and chest, gently stimulating the vagus nerve.

• Listening to slow, rhythmic music (around 60 beats per minute) can support heart rate variability, an important marker of vagal health. (although rock music is not generally slow ;-) )

• Low, resonant tones — like the sub drop at the concert or the steady pulse of a drum — can help regulate the nervous system and foster a sense of groundedness.

This is one reason why music can feel so profoundly healing, especially during times of emotional stress or change. Sound can reach places that words alone cannot.

Therapists who work with the body’s natural healing instincts recognise this too. For example, Dr Peter A Levine PhD, creator of Somatic Experiencing, uses humming to gently stimulate the vagus nerve, helping the body to regulate and release stored tension.

Music and sound truly are part of how we heal.

Simple Ways to Support Your Vagus Nerve with Vibration and Music

You don’t need to attend a live gig to experience the healing power of vibration (although if you enjoy live music, it can be a wonderful way to recharge!). Here are a few simple ways to weave vibrational healing into your everyday life:

• Hum softly to yourself in the morning or before sleep.

• Sing along to music that lifts your spirit, letting the sound fill your body.

• Listen to calming music with deep, soothing tones.

• Use a singing bowl, drum, or gentle tapping on your chest to create vibrations you can feel.

• Move your body to music, swaying, rocking, or slow dancing, allowing the rhythm to reconnect you with yourself.

The key is to feel the vibration, not just hear it.

Final Thoughts: Remembering Our Natural Rhythms

Music has a way of reaching parts of us that words alone sometimes cannot. When vibration meets the body, and the vagus nerve listens, something shifts. Sometimes in ways we don't fully understand, but always in ways that matter.

Whether it's the deep pulse of a bass guitar, the rise of a choir, or the simple hum of a favourite song, these moments remind us that we are vibrational beings, designed to feel, to release, and to reconnect.

In my massage treatments, music is carefully chosen to support the style of bodywork offered, creating a soundscape that invites your nervous system to soften, regulate, and heal.

Next time you find yourself moved by music, take a moment to notice: your body might just be finding its way back to balance.