scientific research on White Sound Gong

In 2023, we could publish a study titled:

Improving Public Health Through Sound Healing Treatments: Gong Sound Meditaon and Mood-Related Psychophysiology

by the authors: Kallia Apazoglou, PhD; Annika Becker, PhD; Ada Stefanie Namani

Measuring psychological and physiological factors of both a study group receiving gong meditations, and a control group, we could conclude (excerpt from the report):

Discussion
Psychological data
The long-term effects of Gong sound meditation were evaluated using the purpose in life (PiL) quesonnaire. Results showed that meaning in life was significantly increased after three Gong sound meditaons at a rate of 7%, whereas this measure remained unchanged in the control group, confirming our initial hypothesis. Regarding the mood, both depression and anxiety scores were also significantly decreased in the treatment group at a rate of 20%, but not in the control group ... Overall these data suggest that mood and meaning in life are enhanced after a long-term parcipation in Gong sound meditaons.

Physiological data
Vagus nerve state activity, as measured by the heart rate variability (HRV) scores, was found to significantly increase after the first and the third Gong sound meditaons at a rate of 10%.

Conclusions
As a preliminary study and despite the small sample size, these initial results strongly support our hypothesis on the beneficial effects of a prolonged parcipation in Gong sound meditaons on psychological factors that promote mental and emotional well-being. The effects on the state acvity of the vagus nerve are very promising from a therapeutic perspective, as this nerve is implicated in key functions of the organism, such as digestion, sleep and immunity ... Further exploration of the potential of such interventions is needed to confirm the present results and broaden the measuring factors.
Authors observed that sleep patterns may be affected after a Gong sound meditation. Deep sleep and light sleep periods can be recorded through the vagus watches. Some parcipants successfully used those watches overnight and authors observed a tendency of increased deep sleep periods. Those results are not reported here as they are very preliminary and with no substantial number of parcipants to make an official stastical analysis. However, this is a very interesting area of research with a huge potential in sleep-related disorders. Authors are willing to continue and focus on such measurements ... and intend to gather substantial data to further explore if deep sleep increases after a Gong sound meditation.

Thanks a lot to gong players and participants of the study, and to Nanak Dev Singh who gave the original inspiration to research on the gong's effects!

If you want to read the entire report, please send me a note saying what makes you interested in it. Thank you!