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Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being: An Observational Study.

Tamara L Goldsby, Michael E Goldsby, Mary McWalters, Paul J Mills

Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine September 30, 2016 DOI: 10.1177/2156587216668109 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pre-post observational study Peer reviewed
Sample size 62
Population Women and men with a mean age of 49.7 years
Intervention Tibetan singing bowl meditation
Topics Anxiety Depression Meditation
Keywords Humans Medicine, tibetan traditional Stress, psychological Affect Sound Adult Middle aged Female Spiritual well-being Tibetan bowls
Key findings After a Tibetan singing bowl sound meditation, participants reported significantly less tension, anger, fatigue, and depressed mood and significantly greater spiritual well-being than before the session. Those new to this meditation had a significantly greater reduction in tension than experienced participants. The authors propose this may be a feasible low-cost, low-technology intervention for reducing tension, anxiety, and depression.

Abstract

Poor mood and elevated anxiety are linked to increased incidence of disease. This study examined the effects of sound meditation, specifically Tibetan singing bowl meditation, on mood, anxiety, pain, and spiritual well-being. Sixty-two women and men (mean age 49.7 years) participated. As compared with pre-meditation, following the sound meditation participants reported significantly less tension, anger, fatigue, and depressed mood (all Ps <.001). Additionally, participants who were previously naïve to this type of meditation experienced a significantly greater reduction in tension compared with participants experienced in this meditation ( P < .001). Feeling of spiritual well-being significantly increased across all participants ( P < .001). Tibetan singing bowl meditation may be a feasible low-cost low technology intervention for reducing feelings of tension, anxiety, and depression, and increasing spiritual well-being. This meditation type may be especially useful in decreasing tension in individuals who have not previously practiced this form of meditation.

Comparable studies

Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients 2003 Pre-post intervention study n = 59
Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample 2010 Pre-post intervention study
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students 2003 Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study n = 302
Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls 2011 Controlled trial with wait-list control group n = 60
The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents 2011 Within-group waitlist controlled trial n = 22

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