Humming — Nervous System Training, Blood Pressure Support, and Sinus Health
By Dr. Kione Teta, ND, LAc · May 4, 2026 · Small Signal, Big Gains - Evidence-Based Self Care Series (Humming) - Part 1: 1(10)
Humming looks almost comically simple. That is precisely why most people dismiss it. From a physiological standpoint, humming is one of the rare behaviors that simultaneously influences the nervous system, vascular tone, and upper airway health—three systems that are usually treated as separate silos in medicine. They are not separate. Humming exploits that overlap.
When you hum, you naturally prolong your exhalation. This matters because breathing is one of the most direct ways the conscious mind interfaces with the autonomic nervous system.
Longer exhalation preferentially activates the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system through vagal pathways. Parasympathetic tone is associated with:
This is the opening of the article. The full piece is on Kione's Substack.