What is Vibroacoustic Therapy?

Vibroacoustic therapy, also known as VAT, is a type of sound healing that uses vibrations of pure tones, also called pulsed frequency sine waves. In some instances, the pure tone vibrations are combined with vibrations of specifically chosen relaxing music. According to Vibro-Therapy, it is an “integrative wellness platform that is based on a single frequency in the range of 30 Hz – 120 Hz”.

The frequencies are streamed to a specially designed furniture piece such as a recliner, a table with a water bladder, a mattress, or a portable mat. The furniture is embedded with transducers or speakers that change the frequencies into vibrations. How the Science of Vibroacoustic Therapy Works When a person lies down or sits on the specially designed furniture, the sound vibrations flow into the body, which is composed of approximately 70% water.

When sound waves travel through water they are five times more efficient than when they travel through air, making vibroacoustic therapy an excellent way to achieve deep cellular stimulation.

According to an article in Wake Up World, when the body’s cells react and interact with the vibrations, the following actions occur: The nerve bundles of the spine, brain stem, and limbic system are stimulated.

The medulla, located in the brain stem, is stimulated by the sound activating the auditory nerve, which is connected to all of the body’s muscles. The body receives a signal to relax. The brain is flooded with chemicals that have a positive effect, lifting the mood of the individual. In addition, the low frequencies cause the body’s tissues to relax, blood vessels to dilate, and the lymphatic pathways to open. All of the body’s responses to the vibrations increase its ability to heal.

From Ancient Vibro-Tactile Healing to Vibroacoustic Therapy More than 40,000 years ago, the ancient Aboriginal people of Australia used sounds and vibrations as a way of restoring balance and healing. By using the hollowed-out limbs of eucalyptus trees, they made wind instruments called didgeridoos. The frequencies of sound produced by these musical instruments were low, and the vibrations could be felt by both the person playing the didgeridoo and the person hearing it.

Variations of this method, known as vibrotactile healing, have been used throughout history. Other traditions have used singing bowls, gongs, wind instruments, drums, or bells to create the sounds and vibrations needed to create the benefits of vibro-tactile healing.