Hmm?

November 5th, 2022| Topic: RaMbLeS | 2

All kinds of odd things have been touted as having life-changing benefits. One of them is now proven to be effective. The unsung merits of humming! Yup, humming!

Brian Lai, a breathwork specialist based in Hong Kong, told VICE recently:

When a person first hears that the simple act of humming has various benefits, it sounds way too simple, almost ridiculous. But when we take a look under the hood of the human body, we can begin to understand why it has been used for centuries, and why the science is finally beginning to catch up.”

Experts have linked humming to several health benefits—including easing stress, improving mood, detoxifying the body, fighting diseases, and helping with gut issues. Wow! Whoda thunkit?

No, it’s not a new practice. Yogic traditions for ages have proposed the act of humming to improve health. भ्रामरी प्राणायाम, Bhramari Pranyama, it is called in Sanskrit, after “Bhramari,” the goddess of bees, those things that go bzz, bzz, humming all day.

But how does humming help us?

Over a decade ago, scientists from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, showed that “Humming Greatly Increases Nasal Nitric Oxide,” published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The paranasal sinuses are major producers of nitric oxide (NO). Oscillating airflow produced by humming enhanced sinus ventilation and thereby increase nasal NO levels. … NO increased 15-fold during humming compared with quiet exhalation.”

Wowza!

Lai:

Humming causes turbulence in the nasal cavity, which increases the release of a powerful molecule known as nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator, meaning it helps blood flow more easily through the body. “

And better blood flow means lower blood pressure means relaxed nervous system means calmed mind.

Besides, nitric oxide is also a bronchodilator, which means it makes breathing easier by relaxing the muscles in the lungs and widening the airways. It also has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-fungal properties, so it’s crucial to the body’s immune response. All kinds of benefits. Just hum.

But humming does other things because it can stimulate the vagus nerve, the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. It transmits information to and from the brain to numerous organs in the body, and therefore affects things like sensory and motor functions, mood, digestion, and heart rate.

Lai concluded:

“Sometimes the answer to our problems is closer than we think—or literally right under our nose.”

But singing is better.

Celebrating worship: In the psalms, God’s people are often called to express their praise in song

Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our King, sing praises.
Psalm 47:6

Celebrating Kingship: God is the Ruler of all the earth and over all the nations—and one day his rule will be manifest to all—therefore he is worthy of song.

For King of all the earth is God;
sing praise with understanding.
Psalm 47:7

Celebrating relationship: God, one day, will bring his peoples together, Gentiles and Jews—all the believing people of God, who seem to merge in this psalm:

He began to reign—God—over the nations;
God, He sat on His holy throne.
The nobles of the peoples have assembled themselves
[with] the people of the God of Abraham …
He is greatly exalted.
Psalm 47:8–9

Notice also the emphasis on the Gentilic nations coming to God in the structure of 47:8—they are in the middle:

Worthy of song, indeed!

So: Hum … and sing … to God!

SOURCE:
Vice; American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine