Authors: Therabody Scientists: Tim Roberts, MSc; Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, ACSM-EP; Kyle Silvey, PhD, CSCS; Michelle Darian, MS, MPH, RD, LDN 

Sound can power many diverse experiences. It can energize a workout, calm a racing mind, or ease you into sleep.  

Therabody’s® TheraMind^TM content harnesses the science of sound through research-backed audio tracks that use specialized composition techniques — including entrainment, binaural beats, and isochronic tones — to help you keep calm or stay alert.  

When paired with Therabody devices, TheraMind creates an immersive experience designed to enhance relaxation and improve sleep quality. 

This innovative technology combines ancient sound therapy practices with modern scientific findings to deliver proven mind and body benefits. 

In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about sound therapy and why you should try it, from the mechanisms behind the beats, the health benefits, and how to get the most out of your multisensory experience with Therabody devices. 

The Science Behind Sound Therapy 

Sound therapy has ancient roots. For thousands of years, civilizations worldwide have used rhythmic sounds for healing rituals. [1] 

Modern science has validated many of these traditional practices, revealing how specific sound frequencies and patterns affect us, both physically and mentally. 

Sound therapy harnesses the principles of psychoacoustics — the relationship between sound properties and human perception — to create specific auditory experiences that influence mental states.  

By carefully selecting sounds based on their pitch, intensity, and timbre, sounds guide people into states of heightened mindfulness. Here, users can fully engage with the present moment and cultivate greater self-awareness, ultimately promoting psychological well-being. 

At its core, sound therapy works by influencing brain wave patterns. Our brains naturally produce electrical impulses at different frequencies, each associated with distinct mental states. During wakefulness, we typically experience beta waves (13-30 Hz), characterized by alert, focused thinking. Sound therapy can guide these brain waves toward more relaxed states, such as alpha waves (8-12 Hz) for light relaxation or theta waves (4-7 Hz) for deep meditation and enhanced creativity. [2] 

Several mechanisms may explain how this works: [3] 

This understanding of sound’s neurological effects has led to precisely engineered audio tracks that can help shift your mental and physcial state from stress to relaxation or restlessness to deep sleep. 

Health Benefits of Sound Therapy 

Sound therapy can make for a memorable night of dancing or an enjoyable spin class. Slowing down the tempo can also offer science-backed health benefits.   

Relaxation 

Listening to sounds and beats can encourage relaxation. A gentler rhythm may help to decrease heart rate and blood pressure (both of which elevate in times of stress). Bringing the heart rate back down to a baseline level can help create a sense of calmness. [5] 

Stress + Anxiety 

Similarly, studies show that sound therapy effectively reduces stress and anxiety levels. Vibroacoustic sound massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system (often referred to as “rest and digest") in low and high-stress individuals. [6] 

This stress-reducing effect may be particularly beneficial for those experiencing a tense, angry, or depressed mood, as sound therapy helps activate the body’s natural relaxation response. [7] 

Cognition + Mood 

Sound therapy also shows promising effects on cognition and mood, with sessions enhancing focus, creativity, and emotional well-being. The rhythmic nature of certain sound frequencies helps create an optimal state for mental clarity and emotional balance. [8] 

These benefits are amplified when sound therapy is part of a multisensory experience, as our brains process information more effectively when multiple senses are engaged simultaneously. 

Sleep 

Sleep quality may also improve with sound therapy. Because of its relaxing effect, sound therapy may help make drifting off a bit easier. It can quiet an active mind to promote better sleep. [9] 

Pain 

Sound therapy may also contribute to pain management. Research shows that sound therapy may help reduce experiences of pain by acting on pain perception pathways in the brain.  

A study on 19 women with fibromyalgia found that 5 weeks of twice weekly low-frequency sound stimulation (LFSS) improved pain scores and increased range of motion in a statistically and clinically meaningful way. [10]  

The Power of a Multisensory Experience 

Just as a full-body workout engages multiple muscle groups for better gains, combining different sensory inputs can enhance therapeutic benefits. Our brains have evolved to process information most effectively when multiple senses work together. [11] 

Think about watching a movie: the combination of visuals, sound effects, and music creates a more immersive and memorable experience than a single element alone (like listening to an audio-only podcast). Similarly, therapeutic techniques that engage multiple senses — like sight, sound, and touch — can be more effective than those targeting a single sense. [11] 

This principle also applies to learning. Research shows that training programs that incorporate both audio and visual elements enhance learning to a greater extent than audio-only approaches. Engaging multiple senses activates more neural networks, creating stronger mental pathways and better information processing. [11] 

For example, a relaxation routine combining calming sounds, gentle vibrations, and soothing visuals may be more effective at reducing stress than audio alone. 

TheraMind: Sound Therapy in Practice 

Therabody’s mission is to deliver wellness to everybody. With the scientific evidence and advancements in audio engineering, TheraMind content was born. More on the origin story in a bit.  

TheraMind, a feature in the Therabody app, brings science-backed sound and visual therapy into your daily routine. It combines relaxing audio tracks with visual elements for multisensory stimulation. 

Using TheraMind: The Therabody app offers TheraMind content, a library of sounds designed for different needs. Soothing rainfall and peaceful piano melody tracks incorporate therapeutic techniques like binaural beats and isochronic tones. These science-backed sounds can help improve focus, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. 

Download the Therabody App on the Apple Store or Google Play 

Enhanced Experience with Therabody Devices: TheraMind reaches its full potential when paired with Therabody devices, creating a truly immersive experience.  

Breathwork Routines 

Theragun® devices like the Theragun PRO Plus and Sense combine multiple sensory elements for a maximum therapeutic effect: 

This is all in addition to the percussive therapy offered by a Theragun.  

Heart Rate Feedback for Relaxation 

Certain devices like SmartGoggles® and the Theragun PRO Plus synchronize with your heartbeat. The device creates gentle vibrations at a frequency slightly lower than your current heart rate, naturally encouraging your body to adopt a slower, more relaxed rhythm (an example of entrainment). Plus, it’s paired with audio for a multisensory calming experience.  

Drift Off to Sleep 

For an even deeper relaxation experience, use TheraMind with the SmartGoggles or SleepMask. Here, you combine darkness with gentle vibrations, relaxing sounds, and even heat and compression (in the SmartGoggles).  

This combination delivers a complete multisensory journey, helping you wind down effectively. Set a sleep timer to let the sounds gradually fade as you drift off to sleep. 

Development and Innovation of TheraMind Content 

Creating an effective multisensory experience requires more than just combining sounds and visuals. Therabody’s team of music technologists, scientists, visual designers, and consumer researchers collaborated to develop therapeutic, science-backed, enjoyable content. 

The challenge was clear: breathing exercises guided by visuals alone can overwhelm users with information. Timed inhales and exhales require significant mental effort — which can be counterproductive to relaxation. Through extensive research and user testing, the team found that combining audio cues with visual elements created the most intuitive experience.  

TheraMind content seamlessly guides users through breathing exercises while maintaining a calming environment. As Therabody’s science team continues to study optimal soundscapes for health benefits, TheraMind will evolve to incorporate new research findings, ensuring access to the most effective, science-backed audio therapy. 

Key Takeaways: 

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