Chanting Away a Clogged Sinus?

The Intersting Effects of Chanting

Chanting has been a part of religious and sacred traditions for thousands of years. While chanting scripture or repeating a mantra are more commonly associated with attempting to obtain spiritual enlightenment, communication with the divine, or even setting a positive affirmation for one’s day, the physiological effects of chanting are as worthwhile for the body as the mental and spiritual effects are for one’s mind and soul.

As hinted at earlier, there are many types of chanting. Stories abound of monks from various faiths chanting scriptures and the recitation of positive affirmations is a common practice for stress management, building self-esteem, and overriding negative self-talk. While these types of chanting can be effective in obtaining these desired outcomes, they may not have the same physiological benefits that one particular form of chanting does, chanting “Ōṁ” (Pronounced “Aum”).

Chanting Ōṁ is a part of many yogic, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions. It represents the “Divine Word,” the essence of all sound (Frawley, 2010). Similarly, John 1:1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Ōṁ can be considered this original word. Outside of these religious views, Ōṁ can be considered the vibrational energy behind String Theory or the original vibrating point that caused the Big Bang. Although the essence of Ōṁ has immense meaning, it is the physical vibration caused by chanting Ōṁ that is responsible for the following physiological effects.

Experience this vibrational energy for yourself. Take a nice, deep breath in and let out a long Aaauuuummmm. You’ll probably experience vibration in your lips, teeth, palate, nasal cavity, and maybe your ears and skull. Interestingly, this type of vibration has more effects than just the tingling sensation in your skull.

When chanting Ōṁ, the resultant vibrations release nitrous oxide (NO) into the nasal cavity (Maniscalco et al., 2003; Weitzberg & Lundberg, 2002). While the direct mechanisms behind the nasal release of NO are unclear, it can be thought that the paranasal sinus creates and stores NO (Lundberg & Weitzberg, 1999). The vibrations caused by chanting Ōṁ then help to increase the gaseous exchange that occurs in the sinus, releasing much of the NO (Maniscalco et al., 2003). When the chanting is followed by inhalation through the nostrils, the NO enters the lungs and can be absorbed by the body (Lundberg & Weitzberg, 1999).

So, why is this a good thing? Well, there are many reasons. NO inhibits the growth of pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses including one form of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) (Åkerström et al., 2009; Nathan & Xie, 1994; Sanders et al., 1998). In fact, recent studies have shown that NO has an inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) replication (Aakberi et al., 2021). Increasing the flow of NO in the sinus can therefore be the first line of defense against airborne pathogens. In fact, strong humming (hum for a few seconds and then Ōṁ to see how similar the vibrational effect is) for an hour a day has been used to successfully treat chronic rhinosinusitis, an immune disorder caused by fungi, in only four days (Eby, 2006). Furthermore, NO has vasodilating effects which can improve arterial oxygen uptake, relax smooth muscle, and help to decrease blood pressure and improve hypertension (Grange et al., 2001; Lundberg & Weitzberg, 1999).

The benefits of chanting Ōṁ do not end with its relationship to NO. The vibration associated with Ōṁ has been shown through fMRI scans to alter brain activity, resulting in states that indicate limbic deactivation in manners similar to vagus nerve stimulation treatments that are used to help those suffering from various disorders such as depression and epilepsy (Kalyani et al., 2011). Similarly, the changes in cerebral blood flow experienced during chanting are consistent with those found in other meditations, making chanting an alternative for those who seek the benefits of meditation, such as increased memory and sustained attention, but struggle with other types of meditation (Ghaligi et al., 2006; Khalsa et al., 2009). Another usage of chanting Ōṁ is to help relieve insomnia and improve sleep quality (Absolon et al., 2016). In this scenario, it is thought that the vibration of Ōṁ in the skull helps the pineal gland release melatonin, thus increasing sleep quality, however, this mechanism has not been verified through experiments (Absolon et al., 2016).  Finally, frequent practice of chanting Ōṁ can increase lung volume and lead to better performance of the bronchi, useful for those suffering from disorders such as asthma and COPD which are characterized by chronic constriction in the bronchi (Bora et al., 2013; Mooventhan & Khode, 2014).

Now that some of the benefits of chanting Ōṁ are clear, a discussion on the “how-to” is warranted. As hinted at in the previous paragraph, these physiological benefits are not tied solely to chanting Ōṁ. The studies above concerning NO release are all centered on humming, however, as stated before, the vibrational aspect of the two mechanisms are similar. That being said, if the divine connotations of Ōṁ are outside of one’s comfort zone, humming can be used as an alternative (My only hesitation would be the use of humming, as in humming a tune, may not have the same benefits as Ōṁ outside of NO release. For instance, the rhythmic chanting of Ōṁ can synchronize and reset dysfunctional cardio-respiratory rhythms (Gayatri et al., 2013). Humming a tune will not have the same rhythmic effect and may not lead to the meditative states mentioned previously). Furthermore, yogic mantra practices also have many other “seed syllables” or bija mantras that will produce similar vibrational aspects*.

Once your preferred method of creating the vibration is found a few other variables need to be considered. The first is adopting a comfortable posture. Seated is recommended. It could be in a traditional meditation posture or just a comfortable upright posture in a chair. The second is duration. In many of the studies above, the duration of chanting was between 10-30 minutes a day and the chants occurred at a rate between 6-18 chants per minute. I suggest starting with 10 minutes a day at a slow and steady pace and increasing the session duration to 20 minutes over time. Concerning the sound you will make: lower frequency tones around 130 Hz (bassier notes) are more effective at releasing NO* (Eby, 2006; Maniscaclo et al., 2003). However, this may differ on an individual basis depending on the shape and size of one’s nasal cavity. Thus, don’t struggle to make a low note, find one that is comfortable to produce yet still vibrates the nasal cavity. The same advice can be said about volume. Finally, for those who wish to explore chanting’s effects on improving sleep quality, it is recommended to perform chanting before bed (which could be performed laying down), otherwise, whenever one can fit chanting into their schedule is sufficient.

Whether it is the NO-releasing effects of chanting, the changes in brain function, the increase in sleep quality, or the positive effects on pulmonary/vascular health, chanting has many benefits beyond the spiritual realm. Because of this, chanting is a worthwhile endeavor to slip into one’s daily routine. The benefits may not be immediately drastic, but for the little effort that it takes to perform it, the payoff can enhance one’s daily life.

*Bija mantras can have similar, yet different vibrational resonant frequencies. This can be combined with changing the pitch and focus of vibration to possibly alter the point within the body that resonates. Traditional Chinese medicine and Yoga use sound in this manner to help promote healing in other areas. While the research on this is scant, it is possible that “directing” the resonant vibrations causes a local release of NO in the vibrating areas. The work of Dr. John Beaulieu using tuning forks to vibrate cells and release NO is one avenue to explore if this concept is intriguing. Other traditional cultural healing lineages also explore the use of sound for healing.

TLDR:

• Chanting Ōṁ is powerful
• It can release NO into the respiratory tract promoting anti-pathogen and vasodilating effects
• Other benefits include better pulmonary and cardiovascular functioning, improved brain function, and better sleep
• Humming and other seed mantras can be used in place of Ōṁ and achieve similar results
• 10-30 mins a day, at a slow steady rate, with a low bass-sounding note

References

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