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You might listen to pump-up music while running to help you churn out the miles. But tuning into another form of sound could offer the opposite effect. Sound therapy—also known as sound baths or sound healing sessions—work to bring you into a state of calm and relieve stress. Sound baths aren’t just for savasana in yoga class, either, as the acoustic notes can offer benefits for athletes. 

Here’s everything you need to know about sound therapy and how it can help your mindset and your recovery

What is sound therapy?

While sound therapy in Western medicine is a newer practice, it’s grounded in a very long tradition. “Sound therapy is the practice of not only auditory, but also vibratory inputs to influence physiology,” says Nathan R. Handley, M.D. medical oncology and integrative medicine doctor at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia. Think of sounds like crystal bowls, chimes, light drumming, or gongs, all emitting different frequencies and working to create a relaxed mind and body experience.

Some Eastern philosophies hold that the universe arose from sound—like the “om” chanting sound. “One of the principles with Eastern medicine is that when someone is sick they can be nourished by the correct sound,” Handley says, because the specific vibrations help to bring the body back into a healthy state. Eastern medicine traditions have a deep appreciation of the mind-body connection, and an awareness that sound can quiet the mind and reduce stress, Handley explains. 

Handley uses vibro acoustic therapy in his medical practice, which is the combination of audible sound and vibration to decrease stress and promote relaxation. Transducers—which emit vibrations—can also be embedded in soft furniture so that the healing is felt as well as heard, Handley adds. “Sound therapy is really interesting because in one form or another, it has really been part of traditional healing culture for thousands of years,” he says. 

The premise of sound therapy is simple: Certain sounds are naturally meant to bring you into a state of calm, relaxation, and healing. “Sound is energy. Specific vibrations carry different energy. In Eastern medicine, different parts of the body are associated with specific energies, frequencies, and vibrations. Sound, then, is a vibrational force that can influence (and ideally harmonize) these energies,” Handley says.

What are the benefits of sound therapy?

1. Stress Relief and Improved Mood

Listening to relaxing, repetitive sounds can help your body calm down, relax, and relieve tension, and can help you focus on the present moment, says Michelle DiBlasi, D.O., chief of inpatient psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

In fact, research published in the Journal of Evidence-Based and Complementary Alternative Medicine in 2017 backs up the benefits of sound therapy for mood and stress. The study, which involved 62 men and women with an average age of about 50, found that following a Tibetan singing bowl meditation, participants reported reduced feelings of tension, anger, fatigue, and depressed mood. 

DiBlasi explains that sound therapy may work to reduce stress and boost mood potentially by stimulating the vagal nerve. The vagal nerve carries signals between the brain, heart, and digestive system, and is responsible for triggering a parasympathetic response, or our “rest and digest” state. When we’re in a parasympathetic state, we experience a lower heart rate and relaxed breathing, which in turn, helps the mind relax, Diblasi explains. 

2. Better Sleep Quality

You’re probably aware that a restful night’s sleep is important to feeling your best, and helping you perform better as a runner. It’s easy to fall into patterns that disrupt sleep quality, like scrolling on phones or watching TV before bed. But there’s promising research that sound therapy can help with sleep. 

This is especially true for a particular kind of sound therapy known as binaural beats. The Sleep Foundation defines binaural beats as an auditory phenomenon that occurs when listening to two different frequencies at once. “The strategy with binaural beats is to create the perception of a specific frequency by presenting two slightly different frequencies to each ear,” Handley says. 

These frequencies then influence your brain waves frequencies, which can lead to different effects, Handley explains. For example, “delta waves are associated with deep sleep; theta waves are associated with light sleep or deep relaxation; alpha waves are associated with a relaxed state, when the brain isn’t focused on anything in particular; beta waves occur during periods of alertness and engagement; and gamma waves are associated with learning, problem solving, and high-level cognition,” he says. Binaural beats tap into the frequencies of these brain waves (often delta waves) to help you find calm and sleep better.

A pilot study published in Digital Health in 2022, examining the sleep of 20 healthy participants, found that the practice of listening to 90 minutes of delta binaural beats had a positive effect on sleep quality, as shown by markers like the number of awakenings and sleep duration. Participants also reported increased sleep satisfaction after one week of listening to the binaural beats, as well as reduced anxiety and anger. 

While there are a host of remedies on the market advertised to help you sleep, a good alternative to pill therapy might just be sound therapy. “I think anything like this where you’re doing something that’s relaxing your mind and body certainly gets you ready for sleep,” Diblasi says. “It’s a great exercise to do before bed.” 

3. Pain Management and Recovery

“Sound baths and sound therapy are helpful for athletes because they can lead to the relaxation response which can be helpful for not only recovery, but also performance enhancement,” Handley adds. 

Sound meditation can also have a positive impact on perceived levels of pain. According to research published in Journal of Evidence-Based and Complementary Alternative Medicine, participants who listened to singing bowls experienced a reduction in pain and tension after the therapy. 

While the exact mechanism for this is unclear, researchers found that for many participants, mood improved while listening to the sound therapy, which could account for physiological changes in the body. In other words, when your mind relaxes, your body might follow suit.

4. Increased Heart Rate Variability 

“There is increasing evidence that sound therapy can enhance heart rate variability (HRV),” Handley says. HRV is the variation in the intervals between heart beats and can signal your adaptability. A higher HRV can indicate better cardiovascular health, stress resilience, and enhanced athletic performance, he explains.

“Because HRV indicates increased parasympathetic activation, it is indicative of better recovery and preparedness for intense training sessions,” Handley adds.

A study published in Cureus in 2023, which involved 23 participants, found that the practice of humming—considered a form of sound therapy—increased heart rate variability. The study indicates that humming can create a unique pattern of the heart’s signal, which can potentially lower sympathetic activation (our stressful state) and increase the parasympathetic tone (our relaxed state). 

What’s more, the study found that after taking part in the humming exercise, the practice increased breathing quality and consistency through increased HRV and lung function. Researchers found that the effects of humming continued to help even when the individual was not consciously doing the activity. 

How to Get Started With Sound Therapy

In order to experience the benefits of sound therapy, DiBlasi recommends listening for 30 to 90 minutes, but if you have less time, it’s still worth a listen. “If you only have 10 minutes before you go to work, or before bedtime, that could still be helpful,” she says. 

To get started with sound therapy, these five apps provide a relaxing experience. All you need to do is find a quiet, comfortable place to tune in and chill out.

1. Apple Fitness+ ($10/month or $79/year)

Beginning in 2024, Apple Fitness+ introduced a new meditation theme called Sound. While a trainer will start off the meditations, the five-, 10-, and 20-minute sessions allow you to focus in on calming tones and rhythms, with the help of gongs and singing bowls. 

2. Binaural Beats App ($3/month)

This app is exclusively designed to offer binaural beats, which you should listen to with headphones to experience the different frequencies in each ear. The app allows you to select your focus, like sleep or stress relief. 

3. Calm App (Sound Baths) ($14/month)

Users can select their focus from within the sound bath categories, including sleep, meditation, work, wisdom, and even sounds baths meant for children.

4. The Sound Bath App ($10/month)

Choose from various sound baths based on your mood and your needs. The app includes a library of more 100 options, plus eight-hour evening baths to last you through a good night’s sleep. Plus, you can tune into twice-weekly live-stream sessions, which also feature live chats with facilitators. 

5. Third Ear (free for limited use or up to $10/month)

You can choose to listen to different sounds like gongs, bowls, chimes, mantras, or binaural beats. Free sound baths range from three to five minutes, while full use of the app offers 30- to 50-minute sessions. 

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden delivered a sensational performance in Budapest, storming to victory in the women’s 100m at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in a breathtaking 10.62 seconds.

The American produced a superb display of acceleration and composure to claim the World Ultimate Championship title while recording the fastest women’s 100m time in the world this year. Her 10.62 mark underlined her exceptional form and placed her firmly at the top of the global sprinting hierarchy.

Jefferson-Wooden controlled the race through the decisive stages and maintained her form all the way to the finish to secure a statement victory against a field packed with championship pedigree. She crossed the line ahead of Olympic champion Julien Alfred, who clocked 10.74 seconds with a -0.2 m/s wind, while Sha’Carri Richardson took third in 10.76.

Women’s 100m Final

1. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden — 10.62

2. Julien Alfred — 10.74 (-0.2 m/s)

3. Sha’Carri Richardson — 10.76

The victory was especially significant given the quality of the opposition. Jefferson-Wooden held her nerve against Alfred and Richardson, two of the most accomplished sprinters of the current generation, to produce the fastest performance in the world this year when it mattered most.

Alfred once again demonstrated her consistency at the highest level by taking silver, while Richardson completed an all-star podium in a race that brought together three of the biggest names in women’s sprinting.

But beyond the time, the title and the celebration, one of the most touching moments came after the race when Jefferson-Wooden embraced her father, Melvin, in an emotional celebration.

Their moment carried a deeply personal meaning. When Melissa was just 17 years old, she donated her stem cells to help her father undergo a bone marrow transplant after he was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. Years later, the two shared an unforgettable embrace in Budapest after she had become the World Ultimate Champion.

For Jefferson-Wooden, however, the evening was about far more than a medal. It was the culmination of an extraordinary journey, now highlighted by a world-leading 10.62 seconds on one of the biggest stages in athletics.

With the Ultimate Championship title secured and her father by her side, Jefferson-Wooden leaves Budapest with more than being an ultimate champion. She leaves with momentum, confidence and a powerful statement of intent — turning a high-profile showdown into one of the defining sprint performances of her season.

Audrey Werro has added another major title to her extraordinary season, storming to victory in the women’s 800m at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest.

The Swiss star delivered a commanding performance, taking control from the opening gun and refusing to surrender the lead as she powered through an absorbing battle against two of the biggest names in the event.

Werro stopped the clock at 1:55.88 to become the Ultimate Championships 800m champion, producing another statement performance on one of the sport’s newest and most prestigious stages.

Behind her, Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson fought her way to second in 1:56.26, while the Netherlands’ Femke Broeders-Bol completed the podium in 1:56.74.

The result once again brought together the same formidable trio that featured on the podium at the European Championships, but Werro again proved to be the athlete who could rise above the challenge when it mattered most.

Her Budapest triumph is the latest chapter in a season that has already included records, a successful Diamond League Trophy defence and European Championship gold. Now, she can add the Ultimate Championships crown to a growing list of accomplishments.

Werro’s consistency has been particularly impressive in an 800m event packed with elite talent. Rather than simply relying on a fast finish, the Swiss athlete showed her authority by taking the initiative from the beginning and maintaining enough strength and composure to hold off Hodgkinson and Broeders-Bol all the way to the line.

The victory also underlined the remarkable depth of the women’s 800m, with three athletes separated by less than a second at the finish. Hodgkinson’s 1:56.26 and Broeders-Bol’s 1:56.74 showed just how fiercely contested the race was, but Werro’s decision to dictate the pace ultimately gave her the decisive advantage.

For Werro, this was more than another medal. It was another opportunity to demonstrate that her rise is no passing moment. On a stage featuring established champions and elite rivals, she once again produced the performance required to claim the biggest prize.

For Hodgkinson, the silver medal adds another major podium finish, while Broeders-Bol once again demonstrated her ability to compete with the very best over two laps.

But the spotlight in Budapest belonged unmistakably to Werro.

With another championship crown secured, the Swiss star has strengthened her claim as the athlete setting the standard in women’s 800m running. This is Audrey Werro’s era — and the rest of the field is chasing.

Busang Collen Kebinatshipi has delivered another sensational performance, storming to victory in the men’s 400m at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

The reigning world champion stopped the clock at an astonishing 43.39 seconds, smashing his own Botswana national record and moving to fifth on the world all-time list.

Kebinatshipi produced a commanding finish to pull away from his rivals and secure the Ultimate Championship title. American star Rai Benjamin finished second in 44.15, while Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago completed the podium in 44.23.

 Men’s 400m

1. Busang Collen Kebinatshipi — 43.39 NR

2. Rai Benjamin — 44.15

3. Jereem Richards — 44.23

The performance is even more remarkable considering that Kebinatshipi had already rewritten the Botswana record just one week ago in Brussels, where he ran 43.40. In Budapest, he lowered that mark by another 0.01 seconds to establish a new national record of 43.39.

That improvement has also propelled the 22-year-old into rare territory. His latest time now ranks him fifth fastest in history over 400m, placing him among an extraordinary group of athletes who have broken the 43.40 barrier.

Kebinatshipi's victory also caps an extraordinary season for the Botswana star. After establishing himself as a global champion, he has continued to demonstrate that he belongs among the very best one-lap runners in the world.

And there is a major reward for his historic night in Budapest: Kebinatshipi walks away as the Ultimate Champion and $150,000 richer.

From another national record to a place among the five fastest 400m runners ever, Kebinatshipi has turned an already remarkable season into something truly special.

Botswana has its latest sprinting superstar — and Kebinatshipi is showing that his ceiling may be even higher than anyone imagined. 

Marileidy Paulino once again proved why she is the undisputed queen of the one-lap event, powering to victory in the women’s 400m at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

The Dominican Republic superstar produced a sensational 49.07 seconds to claim gold, pulling decisively away in the final straight and holding off a fiercely competitive field to extend her remarkable unbeaten run.

Paulino delivered her trademark combination of controlled speed and devastating finishing strength. She remained firmly in contention through the opening stages before unleashing her decisive move down the home straight, where she quickly opened a gap on her closest challengers.

Norway’s Henriette Jæger mounted a strong challenge but could not match Paulino’s finishing speed, crossing the line second in an impressive 49.28. Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce completed the podium after clocking 49.56, ensuring that three of the world’s leading 400m talents occupied the medals.

The result once again underlined Paulino’s extraordinary consistency at the highest level. She entered Budapest as the world leader after running 48.48 in Paris in June, a performance that also set a Diamond League record. She subsequently remained unbeaten throughout her Diamond League campaign, closing the circuit with a meeting-record 48.64 in Brussels.

Budapest has also become a special venue in Paulino’s career. Three years ago, at the same National Athletics Centre, she captured her first individual world title, marking the beginning of another dominant chapter in her career. She later added Olympic gold in Paris in 2024, further establishing herself among the defining 400m athletes of her generation.

The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship has brought together the sport’s biggest stars in a new winner-takes-the-spotlight format, with Olympic and world champions, Diamond League winners and leading performers competing for ultimate honours.

For Paulino, the occasion once again ended with Ultimate Crown on her arms.

With 49.07 seconds, she did more than win another major 400m title. She delivered another statement of authority, powering through the final straight with the confidence and speed that have made her one of the most dominant figures in modern women’s athletics.

Marileidy Paulino remains unbeaten, remains relentless and, once again, remains the queen of the one lap.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen has made a major decision regarding the remainder of his World Athletics Ultimate Championship campaign, confirming that he will withdraw from the men’s 1500m in Budapest despite producing a sensational performance to win the 5,000m title.

The Norwegian superstar stormed to victory in the inaugural Ultimate Championship 5,000m on Friday night, clocking a season-best 12:59.24 and delivering a devastating finishing kick to defeat Olympic 5,000m champion Cole Hocker and American Parker Wolfe.

Ingebrigtsen’s final 100 metres was arguably the defining moment of the race. The Olympic champion produced a remarkable 12.60-second closing 100m, powering away from the field to secure the $150,000 winner’s prize and underline just how far his fitness has progressed since returning from Achilles surgery.

The victory was particularly significant after what has been an extremely difficult period for the 25-year-old. Earlier in the season, Ingebrigtsen faced serious uncertainty over whether he would even be able to compete at the highest level again. His return has gradually gathered momentum, and his performance in Budapest offered perhaps the clearest indication yet that the Norwegian is rediscovering his formidable racing ability.

But rather than risk pushing his recovering body further, Ingebrigtsen has now opted to step away from the 1500m.

The decision means the highly anticipated showdown with British rival Josh Kerr will not take place in Budapest after all. The two stars had been expected to renew one of the biggest rivalries in modern middle-distance running in the 1500m final.

Instead, Ingebrigtsen is looking beyond the immediate opportunity and towards the bigger picture.

“I’m thinking about 2027… Fitness cannot be faked,” the Norwegian said, signalling that protecting his long-term condition has become more important than chasing another major victory only days after his return to peak-level competition.

The decision comes just one week after an emotionally charged Diamond League Final in Brussels, where Ingebrigtsen finished fourth in the 1500m behind Australia’s Cameron Myers, Kenya’s Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech and American Ethan Strand.

After that race, Ingebrigtsen delivered a fiery assessment of his rivals and questioned the tactics surrounding the pacemaking, particularly involving Hocker. He later acknowledged that there had been “a little too much adrenaline and emotion” when microphones were placed in front of him immediately after the race.

Yet his latest decision shows that beneath the emotion and competitive intensity lies a longer-term strategy.

Ingebrigtsen has already demonstrated that he can compete at an elite level again. His 12:59.24 in Budapest was not simply a victory — it was a statement that the Norwegian remains capable of producing a world-class finish even after months of injury rehabilitation.

Now, however, he is choosing not to gamble with that progress.

For a runner who has spent much of the year fighting his way back from injury, another 1500m race could have offered enormous rewards but also carried unnecessary risk. By withdrawing, Ingebrigtsen is effectively prioritising longevity over one more opportunity for immediate glory.

His message is clear: the comeback is underway, but it will not be rushed.

The 5,000m victory has given Ingebrigtsen confidence, momentum and perhaps, most importantly, proof that his body can once again handle elite competition.

Now comes the harder part — knowing when to stop.

With 2027 already firmly in his sights, the Norwegian has chosen recovery over risk. And after everything he has endured, that could ultimately prove to be one of the most important decisions of his comeback.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen is not walking away from the sport. He is protecting his future in it.