I Have PMDD, and This Sound Healing App Helped Me Have Calm, Less Emotionally Tumultuous Periods

PMDD is a psychological well being situation that impacts about 10 % of all menstruating folks, per the Cleveland Clinic. It is a extreme type of PMS characterised by shifts in temper, nervousness, power, and ache ranges within the 10 to 14 days main as much as your interval. Medical doctors aren’t precisely certain why it occurs, but it surely seemingly has to do with the steep drop within the hormone progesterone within the days earlier than menstruation, affecting your “feel-good” neurotransmitter serotonin, which regulates sleep, temper, and ache, per the Nationwide Institutes of Well being.

The everyday remedies for PMDD embody remedy, antidepressants, and way of life adjustments like decreasing stress, getting higher sleep, and consuming a balanced food plan with wholesome protein and fat, all of which I’ve applied. Whereas these strategies do work to maintain my PMDD in test, I nonetheless typically want one thing extra to take the sting off every month (particularly if I am underneath a number of stress).

That is the place pure therapeutic modalities come into play. Enter: SOAAK, a sound therapeutic app that simply launched its new frequency composition known as “PMS Assist,” to assist folks handle the signs of PMS and PMDD. I would by no means tried a pure methodology for my PMDD, however when given the prospect to strive the app free for 30 days, I jumped on the likelihood.

Here is my evaluation of the SOAAK app’s “PMS Assist” frequency, the app itself, and whether or not sound therapeutic labored to alleviate my most annoying (and typically debilitating) PMDD signs.

First, what’s SOAAK?

SOAAK applied sciences is a well being tech firm in affiliation RenuYou—an in-person pure clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The corporate began about 9 years in the past when co-founder Henry Penix and firm president Laura Widney mixed their data of know-how and naturopathic therapeutic. When the duo’s in-person purchasers started asking easy methods to reap the advantages of sound therapeutic remedy within the consolation of their houses, the pair started working with scientists, docs, and app engineers to create the SOAAK app.

Whereas the idea of a sound therapeutic app is pretty new, sound therapeutic remedy itself has existed for generations as a staple of Conventional Jap medication. You will usually discover tuning forks, Tibetan singing bowls, or gongs utilized in sound bathtub remedies, to assist folks loosen up and cut back a mess of bodily and psychological well being signs, in accordance with December 2020 evaluation in Integrative Drugs (Encinitas). Even spa-like music throughout a therapeutic massage, or the sounds of nature, may be thought-about sound remedy.

The SOAAK app has 30 completely different sound frequency compositions to select from primarily based in your wants. The preferred embody:

• “Sleep properly” (for insomnia)
• “Anti-anxiety”
• “Temper enhance”
• “Focus” (for higher focus in the course of the day)
• “Headache and migraine assist”
• And now, “PMS assist”

Every 20-minute frequency composition may be downloaded and performed at any time, very similar to a meditation. Every composition has quite a lot of tones set at completely different Hertz (Hz)—a measurement of sound. Essentially the most generally used frequency in religious therapeutic is 432 Hz, which has additionally been related to lowered coronary heart fee and blood strain, per an August 2019 evaluation in Discover: The Journal of Science & Therapeutic. However there are zero to (mainly) a trillion completely different Hz frequencies that may be mixed and customised to satisfy your want, in accordance with Widney.

You may take heed to frequency compositions of their authentic kind, or layered underneath sounds of nature or music. Different app options embody:

• A sequence of 21-day packages on varied psychological well being and motivational matters from scientists, physicians, life coaches, and extra. One instance is “Therapeutic Your Internal Little one” with psychotherapist Amy Van Slambrook.
• A well being biometrics part—the place you may join your wearable system (like an Apple Watch) to maintain monitor of issues like coronary heart fee, coronary heart fee variability, sleep cycle, and extra.
• A digital well being concierge—a chat the place you may ask questions in regards to the app’s frequencies, packages, and different self-care suggestions. This instrument may also suggest frequencies primarily based in your present well being biometrics.
• A gratitude journal—the place you may replicate in your day or expertise with a frequency.
• A twin audio characteristic—which lets you play the frequencies whereas watching a video, listening to a podcast or audiobook, or listening to your individual music.
• A frontrunner board—the place you may “gamify” your sound therapeutic expertise by seeing the way you match up with different high app customers.

SOAAK App — $29.99

• Consumer-friendly
• Comes with 30 completely different frequencies
• Bluetooth pairing to your Apple Watch
• Can play and pause the frequencies while you want

• Doesn’t record the hertz (Hz) frequency data within the app
• Month-to-month fee may be expensive for some

My 30-day SOAAK app evaluation

I made a decision to begin utilizing SOAAK’s “PMS assist” frequency in the beginning of the month (my interval normally hits on the finish of the month) to get the complete impact earlier than and through that 10-day window.

Once I opened the app on day one, I used to be greeted by my identify on the high, a weekly calendar, and a day by day affirmation with the optimistic message,”I can adapt to any state of affairs that comes my manner.” (You may choose to have day by day affirmations despatched to you through e-mail or textual content, too.) Total, I discovered the app very user-friendly and simple to navigate. Plus, it simply seems high-tech and aesthetically pleasing.

I clicked on the “frequencies” icon on the backside of the web page, and scrolled till I discovered “PMS assist.” The outline of the frequency mentioned it helps assist “balanced feelings, hormones, ache reduction, and decreased bloating.” As I started to play the unique model of frequency, it gave the impression of I used to be floating via outer area, however with decrease, extra grumbling undertones than I would imagined. (It did not sound as high-pitched and flighty because the stress-relief composition, for instance.)

I discovered myself gravitating towards the music model of this frequency—a guitar strumming sound with the frequencies enjoying beneath—which I listened to throughout my lunch break on the primary day (with an alarm set on my cellphone in case I dozed off, in fact).

For the remaining days, I made a decision to both take heed to it at evening or in morning, in mattress with my cozy sleep masks on. I began by listening to them out loud, however found that sporting headphones presents a extra elevated expertise. Some days, I could not get round to listening to the whole 20 minutes, so it was good that I used to be capable of pause and play it each time I needed. I received into the routine of listening after which logging how I felt afterward within the gratitude journal.

Throughout my “good time” of the month, I discovered that SOAAK’s “PMS assist” frequency was a pleasing approach to cap off or begin my days. I entered a meditative-like state, the place I used to be conscious, however my mind felt calm and gradual. It felt much like once I take heed to binaural beats—i.e., beats set at two completely different frequencies and recorded utilizing two separate microphones, for a layered impact in every ear— which can have the potential to change brainwave exercise, per the Sleep Basis. (Nevertheless, extra analysis is required to substantiate any well being advantages.)

On some days, “PMS assist” additionally gave me a calming, head-tingling sensation that I really feel once I watch or take heed to ASMR (a bodily sensation in response to visible or auditory stimuli, additionally known as autonomous sensory meridian response, per UCLA Well being). I positively added “PMS assist” to my rotation of enjoyable content material that I take heed to frequently, and really feel that it might assist me loosen up even once I’m not within the throws of PMDD.

Then got here the true check: the ten days earlier than my interval.

Did SOAAK assist my PMDD signs?

One of many important methods I do know I am headed into that pre-period time is once I begin having repetitive, intrusive ideas. They have an inclination to get caught on a loop, and are sometimes unfavourable self-talk in nature. When this occurred this month, I turned on “PMS assist,” regardless of the time of day, along with my morning or evening ritual. I even performed it as soon as whereas strolling with my canine, and whereas cleansing my house.

Listening to the frequency helped my mind instantly deal with one thing else, and the racing thought loop simply…stopped. Even when I attempted to get the ideas going once more, it was more durable to conjure them up. It felt nice to get rapid reduction from considered one of my most annoying PMDD signs—particularly once I’m underneath extra stress. I additionally really feel like my nervousness typically was barely lowered after listening to it spontaneously.

Whereas I would not say “PMS Assist” relieved my bodily signs (like cramping, complications, bloating, and fatigue), it did assist take my thoughts off any ache for a short while till any medicines I took, like Advil or Midol, kicked in. (Although some folks might discover ache reduction whereas listening; everybody’s completely different!)

Total, I do really feel that SOAAK’s “PMS Assist” frequency composition helped me have a calmer, much less emotionally tumultuous time main as much as my interval. It actually wasn’t a cure-all (I nonetheless use my conventional therapy strategies), but it surely did assist, and I consider I can begin utilizing it together with remedy, treatment, and different stress-relieving methods.

This leads me to a bigger query: Does sound therapeutic typically truly work? (Extra on this beneath.)

Does sound therapeutic remedy actually work?

There is no strong proof to recommend that sound therapeutic remedy can treatment any illness. The research on sound therapeutic remedy for each bodily and psychological well being circumstances are restricted, have combined outcomes, and infrequently showcase quite a lot of outcomes. That mentioned, it could nonetheless be a useful supplemental remedy together with different clinically backed remedies, particularly to assist promote rest.

On a broader scale, we do know that our nervous methods reply to sound—for the higher, and typically, for the more serious.

“Our autonomic nervous system has the tendency to reply and co-regulate to the rhythms round us,” says Ellen Vora, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in girls’s psychological well being, and writer of The Anatomy of Nervousness. “This implies, in instances of stress, our our bodies can decide up and sync with sounds round us—like noisy metropolis life or folks shouting, which have sure sound frequencies—inflicting us to really feel even worse.” These sounds can enhance our coronary heart fee and even ship our nervous methods into fight-or-flight mode, she provides.

However after we take heed to extra enjoyable frequencies, like wind rustling via bushes, birdsong, ocean waves, or sure music, our coronary heart fee may also sync up (and decelerate) with this rhythm, enjoyable us, says Dr. Vora. This is also why the sound of issues like singing bowls elicit a chilled response. Dr. Vora says it might assist us transfer via pent-up feelings, or what she calls “emotional constipation.”

In reality, a small July 2017 observational research within the Journal of Proof-Based mostly Complementary & Different Drugs discovered that contributors who listened to a low-frequency, Tibetan singing bowl meditation scored considerably decrease on nervousness and melancholy scales than previous to listening, suggesting it does have some psychological profit.

Backside line: Sound therapeutic remedy, within the type of sound frequencies, can’t essentially treatment or heal you, and extra scientific research are wanted so as to totally perceive its impact on mind chemistry. But when it brings you a way of calm, and helps you higher take care of issues like PMDD or PMS, it is innocent and may be price a strive, particularly together with care out of your physician.

And consider: In case you’re having depressive ideas, ideas of suicide, or ideas of harming your self or another person, that is thought-about a psychological well being emergency that requires skilled care. Name your physician and go to the closest emergency room as quickly as doable. You too can name or textual content “988,” the Nationwide Suicide and Disaster Lifeline, for rapid assist.

Is there a future for sound therapeutic remedy?

Sound therapeutic remedy may very well be the wave (pun meant) of the way forward for holistic well being care. There is no denying that apps like SOAAK are providing handy and simple choices to cease the results of stress and nervousness in its tracks, and show you how to lead a calmer existence. Although we nonetheless have an extended approach to go in fully understanding the impact of frequencies on well being and the human physique, I’ve a sense we’ll begin to see an increasing number of sound remedy apps (and different holistic apps) crop up within the coming years.

Each Penix and Widney say they wish to assist folks “reclaim their well being, and take their care into their very own palms.” Utilizing this app has actually made me suppose extra in regards to the methods I can higher handle myself throughout my 10-day, pre-period part, and reclaim this month-to-month routine.

If you wish to strive SOAAK

You probably have PMDD, PMS, wish to get higher sleep, or are simply plain curious in regards to the results of sound therapeutic, obtain SOAAK as we speak on IOS or Android and begin a seven-day free trial. From there, you may go for a month-to-month subscription of $29.99 monthly, or a yearly subscription at $24.99 monthly (or $300 per 12 months).