When Humming Heals

When Humming Heals: How Your Voice Box Became a Secret Vagus Nerve Superpower

It’s not just noise. It’s neuroregulation. Here’s how singing, humming, and gargling can help your clients access calm, connection, and recovery—one vibration at a time.

Story time…..

Chris never liked his voice.

He didn’t sing in the car.

Didn’t hum in the kitchen.

And he definitely didn’t chant in yoga.

But after years of working with trauma clients—and navigating his own stress shutdowns—he stumbled on a strange tool that changed how he views the following:

Humming.

Not because it sounded good.

Not because it was meditative.

But because it tapped into a part of his nervous system that had been offline for decades.

And then something even weirder happened.

His snoring stopped.

Seriously....true story. 

And then he did this.....

Singing Lessons, Sleep Apnea, and the Vagus Connection

For years, Chris had struggled with snoring and found his solution with humming......

His snoring was the kind that rattled walls.

The kind that hinted at low oxygen, fragmented sleep, and constant fatigue—even after eight hours in bed.

Sleep studies called it “mild apnea.”

Solutions included CPAP masks, nose strips, and mouth guards.

Humming alowed him to sleep, but his sleep data still told him he was lacking better deep sleep. 

So he thought if humming worked well, what would happen if he got singing lessons? 

That’s when a vocal coach he trusted (and was slightly embarrassed to hire) told him something strange:

“You don’t just sing from your throat. You sing from your core. Let’s get those muscles online.”

They did breathing drills.

Diaphragm work.

Vowel exercises that engaged the deep throat muscles.

Over time, he wasn’t just singing better.

He was sleeping better. It got deeper. 

Here’s What Was Happening

Singing lessons trained and toned the muscles of the pharynx and larynx, which are partly innervated by the vagus nerve’s recurrent laryngeal branch.

These muscles are critical for keeping the upper airway open during sleep.

When they’re weak or uncoordinated, the airway can collapse—especially during deep sleep or in dorsal vagal states.

But there’s more.

Singing also improves breath control and prolongs exhalation, both of which enhance vagal tone and help regulate the autonomic nervous system.

So not only was Chris building the structural muscle tone needed to keep his airway clear, but he was also:

✅ Increasing HRV
✅ Decreasing nocturnal arousals
✅ Supporting better sleep-stage transitions
✅ Strengthening his vagus nerve—through his voice

In short, his voice was literally becoming a tool for nervous system recovery.

 Not just the neighborhoods go to show tune leader. 

The Science Behind the Sound: Why Your Throat Is a Highway to Regulation

The vagus nerve runs deep—literally.

It sends branches into the larynx and pharynx, innervating the muscles responsible for vocal tone, pitch, and swallowing.

Every time we speak, sing, hum, or gargle, we’re not just communicating—we’re stimulating neural pathways that connect voice to vagal tone.

Stephen Porges, who developed the Polyvagal Theory, calls this part of the “social engagement system”—a biologically wired network that links facial expression, voice prosody, heart rate, and breath regulation.

When we vocalize, we’re not just making sound—we’re signaling safety to our brainstem.

Here’s how it works:

•  Humming creates vibration in the vocal cords and prolongs exhalation, which stimulates the parasympathetic branch of the vagus nerve.
•  Singing, especially slow, melodic tones or chants like “Om,” has been shown in some studies to increase heart rate variability (HRV)—a key biomarker for vagal tone and stress resilience.
•  Gargling vigorously activates the pharyngeal branch of the vagus, stimulating deep throat muscles. It can even trigger a parasympathetic lacrimal response—the sudden tearing of eyes—which is a clear marker that the nervous system is shifting gears into rest-and-digest.

Why This Matters for Therapists and Coaches

If you’re working with clients dealing with:

•  Anxiety or trauma
•  Sleep issues or snoring
•  Shutdown, fatigue, or brain fog
•  Difficulty accessing safety or connection

These voice-based practices offer a two-for-one benefit:

✅ Structural activation (muscle toning for better airway support)
✅ Neurological stimulation (vagal tone, HRV, autonomic balance)

And best of all?

They’re accessible, low-risk, and often enjoyable—especially for kids, neurodivergent clients, or those stuck in dorsal vagal states.

Try These Vagal-Boosting Voice Hacks with Your Clients

1. The 30-Second Hum Test

Have your client hum low and slow for 30 seconds. Ask them to feel the vibration in their chest or face. Repeat 2–3 rounds.
Notice: breath depth, jaw tension, emotional shift.

“I felt silly at first, but I swear my jaw unclenched.” – actual client

2. “Om” Chanting or Low Toning

Try chanting "Om" or a low “mmmm” sound. Research shows this prolongs exhalation and activates baroreceptors—feeding right into vagal feedback loops.

✅ Use in groups to build co-regulation.
✅ Try post-workout, post-trauma-processing, or during breathwork cooldown.

 3. Gargle & Ground

Gargle with warm or cold water for 30 seconds twice a day. Yes, it’s weird. Yes, it works.

Clients report benefits like:

• Throat tension relief
• Vocal cord activation
• Quick parasympathetic shift (especially during panic)

Stack it:

1. Gargle
2. Exhale with a sigh
3. Follow with a long hum or “Om” chant

Pediatric Bonus: Make It a Game

This works wonders for kids, sensory-sensitive clients, and trauma survivors:

• Who can gargle the longest without laughing?
• Make animal sounds that vibrate the chest (think lion growl or cow “moo”)
• Create a “vagus nerve choir” moment in a group session

It’s funny. It’s safe. It’s sneaky nervous system work.

 But Does It Really Work?

While large-scale studies are still emerging, the neuroanatomy is solid and early evidence is promising. We’re not talking about folk remedies—we’re talking about:

•  Cranial nerve activation
•  Improved HRV
•  Behavioral outcomes
• And perhaps most importantly: client engagement

At NLN, it is easy for us to know; we simply assess and reassess with every drill.  Do you want to see how easy this is? Click this FREE masterclass we did on our assessment process. 

When your client can’t tolerate intense drills, breath holds, or body scans, this gives you a new door in.

A softer one. A playful one.

Because sometimes the safest way into the body… is through the throat.

Final Thought from Chris:

“I used to think nervous system regulation meant stillness. But it turns out, for me, it started with sound. A humming that broke through the freeze. A gargle that shook loose the tension. My voice helped me feel again.”

"No more being kicked out of the bedroom at night!!!" 

Want to Go Deeper?

If this resonated with you, we break it all down inside the Next Level Neuro Mentorship—where we teach therapists and coaches how to integrate tools like these (and dozens more) into client sessions, group classes, and performance training.

Because healing isn’t always quiet.
Sometimes, it hums.