Electronic Dance Music as a Tool for Trauma Recovery
For many veterans, finding relief from stress, anxiety, and trauma is a challenge. But what if the answer wasn’t in a clinical office, but on the dance floor? EDM isn’t just about high-energy beats— it has healing properties that many are only beginning to understand.
Why EDM and Bass Matter for Mental Health:
EDM is more than just music. It’s a vibrational resonance. Research shows that low-frequency vibrations—like those created by bass-heavy EDM—can help regulate the nervous system, improve mood, and reconnect the body and mind.
Grounding Through Bass (20–40 Hz): Deep bass vibrations in EDM align with whole-body vibration therapy frequencies, which help us feel more present and less dissociated.
Brainwave Stimulation (40 Hz): Some tracks match the brain’s gamma wave frequency, improving cognition, memory, and focus—which can facilitate recovery from trauma.
Physical Movement for Emotional Release: Music encourages free movement and dancing, helping the body release stored trauma and tension somatically.
How We Can Use EDM for Healing:
For veterans looking for new ways to manage stress and PTSD, EDM can be therapy in sound waves.
Listen to Deep Bass Tracks (20–40 Hz) When Stressed – Try artists like Tipper, LiquidStranger, or CloZee for grounding.
Move to the Beat – Dance isn’t just for fun—it’s a trauma-release tool. Put on a track and let your body guide you.
Use EDM Playlists for Focus & Sleep – Melodic house or trance (Lane 8, Above & Beyond) can help with relaxation and mental clarity.
For veterans looking for new ways to manage stress and PTSD, EDM can be therapy in sound waves.
Sources:
Bartel, L., & Mosabbir, A. (2021). Possible mechanisms for the effects of sound vibration on human health. Healthcare, 9(4), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9040365
Ganesan, K., Acharya, H., & Mooventhan, A. (2021). Vibroacoustic therapy: A narrative review and its future perspectives. International Journal of Yoga, 14(1), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_92_20
Altenmüller, E., & Schlaug, G. (2015). Neurologic music therapy: From basic research to clinical practice. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1337, 257-264.https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12669
Koelsch, S. (2014). Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(3), 170-180. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3666
Van der Kolk, B. (2015). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Books.
Levine, P. A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books.
