Why the Simple Act of Humming Is Amazing for Our Mental Health

This simple act sooths our anxiety caused by that voice inside our heads filled with negativity. What ever our inner meanie says to put us in a bad head space, this is one way to combat those intrusive thoughts.

Humming is basically a superpower we all have.

According to the Livestrong website, humming hinders that inner chatter we all need to get away from.

You see, when we're stressed or anxious, we activate the fight-or-flight part of our nervous system which is part of our sympathetic part of our nervous system.

By humming, we combat the fight-or-flight and activate the rest-and-digest. Technically, humming stimulates a nerve called the vagus that runs from our brain to our tummy. The vagus is part of our parasympathetic nervous system known as rest-and-digest according to the Well and Good website.

According to the Medium website humming releases happy endorphins and nitric oxide which widens your blood vessels. That creates space between your spiraling thoughts and your nervous system basically interrupting all thoughts.

When you hum, your body begins to vibrate. So does your brain. A vibrating body and brain is happy. Peace, happiness and contentment can be found in this state.

Besides calming the nervous system, humming has two other benefits according to the Oprah Daily website.

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1) It boosts heart health because of that nitric oxide we talked about above. That's because by widening constricted blood vessels stress on our heart and vascular system decreases.

2) It also lulls you to sleep like a lullaby because humming releases melatonin.

Add it to your sleep stack, beginning in the hour before you turn in: Hum while you journal, shower, or tie up loose ends around your home. You don’t have to carry a tune to benefit—let it be easy and light, not an added stress.

Humming simply feels good to your body creating freedom from your head.