Brain wave vibration meditation is an accessible, straightforward method that can have profound benefits on your mood, focus and memory while at the same time helping regulate stress.
Studies on clinical and preclinical models have demonstrated that WBV reduces musculoskeletal disorders while improving cognitive functions. This study investigated the effect of low frequency WBV on behavior and memory with an aged animal model following TBI; its results demonstrate how it significantly reduced neuroinflammation while simultaneously improving cognitive functioning.
1. Relaxation
While vibration therapy cannot offer a cure for certain brain disorders, it may help relieve some symptoms. For example, it could reduce Parkinson’s-related tremors. Furthermore, increasing dopamine levels could potentially decrease medication requirements; and one study also discovered it may reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.
Vibration exercise uses mechanical vibrations to stimulate muscles and joints. You can take part in this type of fitness by standing on a whole-body vibration machine that emits vibrations through your feet, legs, abdomen, and upper body or by using localized devices that emit them directly to one part of the body.
As well as offering an overall sense of wellbeing, vibration therapy can increase blood flow and ensure adequate oxygen and nutrient delivery to your brain – helping protect brain cells from degenerating and strengthening memory while at the same time relieving pain for some patients.
Though many types of vibration therapy exist, whole-body vibration (WBV) therapy stands out as the most promising. WBV involves physical activities which deliver mechanical vibrations at frequencies between 5-60 Hz to the entire body, creating beneficial benefits.
Researchers have discovered that WBV provides beneficial effects on neurogenesis and restores damaged neurons after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in animal models. Their study demonstrated how WBV pretreatment at 30Hz twice daily for 20 days inhibited brain edema while decreasing dead neurons without changing body weight significantly.
Studies have also demonstrated the power of vibration to increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factors like BDNF. They may also help increase insulin-like growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor production for healthy cells, as well as reduce anxiety through binaural beats or autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), an experience where certain audio triggers help relax listeners. A 2019 study demonstrated vibration could even aid anxiety reduction through binaural beats or ASMR experiences which release tension by listening to certain audio triggers that induce relaxation in listeners.
While vibration therapy offers numerous health advantages, it’s wise to consult your healthcare provider first before beginning this therapy regimen. A few things to keep in mind include any preexisting health conditions that could worsen with vibration exposure; any disc ruptures that might occur as a result; bone fractures from vibration exposure; seizure triggering; and irritation caused by coming in contact with skin-covered medical implants or devices.
2. Focus
Vibration therapy can help people to focus by encouraging the brain to integrate its left and right hemispheres, stimulating the brain stem, which converts vibrations to vital energy for communication within and between bodies. Vibrations also play a key role in communicating between bodies.
Studies involving both clinical and preclinical patients demonstrate that vibration training may be an effective therapy for treating various conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. Vibration can alleviate pain associated with this disorder by increasing dopamine production within the brain; vibration therapy also can increase body tolerance for levodopa, used to treat its symptoms.
Vibration therapy offers numerous other advantages, including alleviating myofascial pain, autogenic inhibition and delayed-onset muscle soreness. Clinicians must carefully consider all potential contraindications when prescribing vibration therapy; such as unstable health conditions like spine or brain issues, uncontrolled seizures, open wounds with metal pins or plates in them, pregnancy and high blood pressure as potential risks.
Auster recommends clients relax during their vibration therapy session and wear loose clothing; even loungewear may work if possible. Some vibrating machines produce gentle sounds while others may “thud” and bounce aggressively over specific areas.
3. Memory
Vibration therapy increases blood flow to the brain and activates neurotransmitters responsible for memory. Additionally, vibration can promote hormone release that supports memory and mood improvement such as dopamine. By shaking one’s head back and forth during vibration, vibration therapy also integrates the left and right hemispheres of the brain by inducing production of an “adaptogenic vitamin” that enhances connections between neurons in both hemispheres of the brain.
Clinical and pre-clinical studies62-63 have demonstrated the positive benefits of low intensity vibration therapy (5 min per day, five times each week for five weeks), including beneficial impacts on musculoskeletal functions and cognitive performance among older humans. Unfortunately, however, little information exists regarding its neurobiological mechanisms of action.
In our study, we evaluated the effect of a five week long WBV intervention on anxiety-related behavior, spatial memory and motor performance in aged rats. Furthermore, we utilized immunohistochemistry to examine hippocampal (neuro)inflammation and tissue organization using male Wistar rats 18 months old treated for five weeks with either five or 20 min daily vibration sessions of either five or 20 min duration each session for five weeks; they were then evaluated behaviorally for anxiety-related behavior, spatial memory retention as well as object discrimination memory retention as well as muscle strength via grip hanging tests performed daily on muscle strength tests conducted over five weeks of vibration exposure; brain tissue was collected and immunohistologically examined for microglia presence as well as presence of microglial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).
Our results showed that both vibration treatments significantly reduced anxiety-related behavior in aged mice. Spatial memory was enhanced during treatment sessions of 20 minutes per day for 20 sessions; object discrimination memory remained unaffected. WBV-induced hippocampal inflammation decreased while presence of GFAP-positive microglia cells significantly increased.
Histological and morphometric analysis of hippocampal tissue showed that the C protocol significantly enhanced synaptic plasticity. This is consistent with previous results from our group showing that movement, in the form of vibratory training, increases expressions of FNDC5, an important gene involved with neural cell differentiation regulation as well as activating BDNF in the brain.
Thus, our results indicate that WBV improves memory performance in aged mice by stimulating synapses to form new connections. This improvement may be related to activation of BDNF in the hippocampus; electrophysiological recordings showed an increase in population spike amplitude values after high frequency stimulation in hippocampal slices of C-trained mice.
4. Stress Reduction
Stress can lead to everything from headaches and tense backs, all the way to mental health issues such as insomnia and anxiety. Vibration therapy has been proven effective at decreasing stress hormones in the body and thus aiding mental wellbeing by contracting and relaxing muscles several times every second, thus soothing one’s mind and relieving tension.
Vibration therapy can also assist with chronic pain management. Vibrations have been found to interfere with pain signals sent from your brain and decrease pain levels; this has been demonstrated both for humans and mice in a 2018 Dutch study.
Vibration therapy can enhance proprioception of the body. Proprioception refers to our body’s ability to understand where it is in space and is especially vital for seniors as losing this skill can lead to falls and injuries. Vibration can assist seniors by increasing muscle strength – something which plays a key role in maintaining balance and avoiding falls and injuries.
Whole-body vibration (WBV) is an exercise technique in which mechanical vibrations from a vibrating platform are transmitted directly to the body through mechanical means, providing physical benefits in clinical60 and preclinical61 studies of musculoskeletal systems, glucose metabolism, muscle healing62. WBV has proven beneficial across multiple studies of this nature.
Studies on vibration therapy‘s potential benefits for brain injuries demonstrate its efficacy by improving balance and decreasing spasticity63. This field of research has grown substantially over time.
Vibration may also help with memory, motor function and anxiety-like behaviors64; however, further studies are required on its effects at different intensities and lengths of vibration.
Vibration therapy has the ability to treat various conditions, including migraines, Parkinson’s, and fibromyalgia. Prior to commencing any new treatment – such as vibration therapy – it’s wise to consult a medical provider, such as vibration therapist. They will evaluate whether vibration therapy suits your individual needs as well as recommend frequency and duration of sessions, any precautions such as refraining if you have unstable spine/brain issues, as well as any medications being taken by you that could interact negatively.