Part 2 - Stress, the Body & the Mind: A Science-Backed Mini Series on Healing Through Sound
This is Part 2 of my three-part series on stress. Last time we looked at what stress does to the body - now we’re heading upstairs to the brain and how meditation and sound help quiet the mental noise.
Stress and the Brain: Why Your Mind Feels Overloaded (and How Meditation Helps)
If stress has ever made your thoughts race, your concentration vanish or your mind spiral into worst-case scenarios at 3am…you’re not broken. You’re human.
To understand how stress affects the brain, we need to meet one small but mighty part of it: the amygdala.
Meet the Amygdala (a.k.a. the Brain’s Bouncer)
The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped part of the brain whose job is to keep us safe. Think of it as the brain’s security guard - or, on a bad day, an over-zealous security guard with a whistle and a short fuse…
Its role is to detect threats and trigger our stress response. Thousands of years ago, that meant spotting danger like predators or genuine physical risk.
But the threat these days has now evolved into something far more dangerous than any saber toothed tiger. It’s constantly there, preying on your every move and draining your energy resources. Modern day stresses are things like reacting to emails, dealing with deadlines, staying calm in traffic, juggling family and childcare or navigating money worries.
In modern life, the amygdala can become overstimulated, telling us we’re under threat when - with a little space and perspective - we’re actually not.
What Stress Looks Like in the Brain
When we’re stressed, the amygdala becomes more active - and yes, neuroscientists can actually see this happening.
MRI scans show that during periods of chronic stress, the amygdala swells and becomes hyper-responsive. It’s constantly on the lookout for danger, whether that’s real or imagined.
And this is how stress often feels in our minds:
racing thoughts
trouble concentrating
a sense of panic or doom
feeling tense or on edge
difficulty sleeping or switching off
If any of that sounds familiar, I hear ya. You’re not alone.
The Real Cost of Stress on Our Minds
Stress isn’t just uncomfortable - it’s having a measurable impact on how we live and work.
Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report revealed that one in five workers needed time off in the past year due to poor mental health caused by stress or pressure.
The Health and Safety Executive reports that in 2023/24, over 16 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, anxiety or depression.
This isn’t a personal failing. It’s a nervous system issue.
How Meditation Changes the Brain’s Stress Response
So, what can meditation and relaxation do for our minds?
Quite a lot, actually.
The NHS advocates meditation for reducing stress, anxiety and mental health challenges - and neuroscience backs this up. During meditation, researchers can literally observe the amygdala shrinking.
In scientific terms, ‘perceived dangers are reduced.’
In real-life terms? We become less reactive. Less jumpy. Less likely to explode when the kettle takes too long to boil or your partner leaves a pair of their socks on TOP of the washing basket and not IN it…
The Relaxation Response (a Game Changer)
In the 1970s, Dr Herbert Benson coined the term ‘the relaxation response’, describing it as:
“A physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional response to stress - the opposite of the fight or flight response.”
Using EEG machines to measure brain activity, his research showed that meditation increases alpha brainwave activity, which is associated with calm focus, reduced stress and lower blood pressure.
This is where meditation relaxation therapy really shines.
Brainwaves, Busy Minds and Why We’re All Stuck in the Wrong Gear
EEG machines allow scientists to measure how fast or busy the brain is by tracking brainwaves.
There are five main brainwaves, from fastest to slowest:
Gamma
Beta
Alpha
Theta
Delta
Most of us spend our lives bouncing between:
Delta - exhausted, depleted
Beta - busy, thinking, doing, reacting
Meditation and sound therapy teach us how to spend more time in alpha and theta - the sweet spot where the mind relaxes, creativity flows and the body can unwind.
How Sound Therapy and Meditation Help Calm the Mind
Different types of meditation - mindfulness, visualisation, contemplation or open awareness - guide the brain into slower, calmer states.
Sound meditation and sound bath therapy can be especially helpful because they support this process without effort. You don’t have to concentrate, visualise or ‘do it right’.
The sound gently guides the brain into alpha and theta brainwave activity - often creating a dreamlike state where:
mental chatter quietens
perspective widens
creativity and insight emerge
the mind feels spacious rather than crowded
This is why many people find sound baths deeply restorative for stress and anxiety.
Life After Meditation: Why It Feels Easier to Cope
When we offer our brains genuine rest, something shifts.
After meditating - whether through silence, guided relaxation meditation or sound therapy - we often return to everyday life with:
more emotional resilience
better focus
less reactivity
greater clarity
The world hasn’t changed - but how we meet it has.
Coming Up in Part 3…
Stress and Hormones
In the final part of this series, we’ll explore stress hormones and long-term resilience - including cortisol, burnout and how sound therapy and meditation change our stress baseline over time.
Sound Therapy and Meditation in Glossop & the High Peak
If you’re local to Glossop or the surrounding Peak District, you can experience this kind of deep meditation relaxation therapy in person.
I offer sound bath therapy sessions, meditation and relaxation classes just half an hours’ drive from Manchester, Buxton and Stockport. All our sessions are, designed to support stress relief, nervous system regulation and deep rest.
