Hum for heart, lung health
By Sari Huhtala
Sinus infection? Hum. At least that’s what the experts are saying. Humming to clear up an infection may sound like quackery, but researchers have found that the simple act of humming strongly at a low pitch actually can eliminate symptoms of severe chronic rhinosinusitis. Humming has also been found to reduce cardiac arrhythmias, a study in Medical Hypotheses found.
Plus, as an added bonus, humming reduces stress and calms the nervous system.
Humming increases nitric oxide (NO) levels by 15 to 20 per cent and NO is antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral.
Chronic rhinosinusitis is caused by fungi. The body’s immune response to the fungi causes the fungi to be attacked, which damages sinus membranes, and leads to rhinosinusitis symptoms, researchers say.
A significant amount of NO production takes place in the paranasal sinuses. Healthy sinuses have a high concentration of NO, but proper ventilation is necessary to maintain sinus integrity, they add. In the Medical Hypotheses study, they found when the study subject hummed for one hour at bedtime, and then hummed 60 to 120 times four times a day for four days, and at bed time, symptoms of rhinosinusitis were eliminated. After the first night, the study subject found he was able to clearly breath through his nose for the first time in weeks. An interesting side effect, they note, was a significant decrease in cardiac arrhythmia in the individual.
Researchers note that NO is a potent neurotransmitter that helps blood vessels relax and increases circulation.
Humming may also help open airways and kill pathogens, reducing morbidity due to COVID symptoms, a study in the Indian Journal Otolaryngol Head and Neck Surgery found. Researchers discovered NO increased the survival rate of SARS-CoV patients in 2004 by reversing pulmonary hypertension and improving severe hypoxia. They found humming increases NO expression significantly.
Specifically, researchers in India cite the basic Brahmari breath (bee breathing technique) as a natural way to reduce symptoms of pulmonary hypertension and hypoxia.
Sari Huhtala is the publisher and editor of Alive and Fit Magazine. She has over 25 years experience in journalism. She is a mother of 3 adult children. She has spent over 20 years navigating a healthy path for her family, one health hack at a time, as a single mom feeding her kids healthy on a shoestring budget. She also has over 15 years experience as a certified fitness specialist and personal trainer, 10 years experience as a reiki practitioner; she studied Shamanism and is currently completing yoga teacher training certification.
