You have probably heard of tunnel vision, but did you know you can also get tunnel hearing when stressed? Hormones released during stress can reduce or even stop blood circulation in the ear affecting your hearing.

You can purposefully use the ears to help shift out of stress by trying these tools.

Music

It’s not surprising that music can have an effect on our stress response, in fact research has shown that it can both reduce the physiologic effects of stress and increase feel good hormones, such as dopamine.

Research has shown that listening to music in the 432 Hz range can help bring on a state of calm. Other characteristics, such as instrumental vs. lyrical or live vs. prerecorded have been found to be important as well.

Next time you’re feeling stressed (and NOT driving) check out the song Weightless by Marconi Union. Created in conjunction with a sound practitioner, this piece of music was specifically designed to lower heart rate and relax the listener.

Ear Massage

Ear massage can be very effective as the ears have a large number of nerve endings. Keep in mind that each person responds to different type of stimuli so it’s best to experiment to see what works for you.

Using your forefinger and thumb you can gently massage the Tragus point (small pointed area of cartilage situated in front of the entrance to the ear, on the inner side of the external ear, directly above the lobe). This point has been identified and studied with low-level electrical stimulation for a variety of health benefits.

Continue massaging up and around the outside of the ear for 1-2 minutes.

Safe and Sound

A more involved protocol that requires the help of a professional is called the Safe and Sound Protocol. This non-invasive method uses bone conduction to send vibrations to the ear using headphones. The vibrations stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system through the vagus nerve providing a sense of safety to the body. This results in a balance of the autonomic nervous system and an increased ability to express oneself calmly.

Which tool will you try?