Along the lines of the recent “screaming in pain” question. Why, when in long-term pain, does it feel better or soothing to quietly moan? I’m talking aches, or chronic pain flairs, etc, rather than acute sudden pain. Does it have to do with lengthening exhalation duration?
In: 274
Not an expert, but I believe it’s the same as swearing.
Expressing our pain in a vocal way lets us distract ourselves and relieve a social need to express a need for help, whether or not someone can hear.
One of my newest cooks is learning English and when she burns herself she shouts “fuck” or “shit”.
Because sound is so apparent we kind of don’t look at it as what is essentially is which is vibration and because we live outside the body we think of lungs in terms of breathe rather than the dynamic effects it has internally inside of us.
When you have inflammation there is less nitric oxide circulating around those areas. The vibrations from humming or moaning increases nitric oxide production and the exhale promotes circulating it.
https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/22/2/323#:~:text=Abstract,humming%20compared%20to%20silent%20exhalation.
EDIT: I simplified it. I really would suggest looking up Nitric Oxide in the body, in your spare time though. Oxygen gets all the love but the balance between the two is the foundation of harmony in all aspects of the body. Nitric Oxide (NO) is a shapeshifting wizard.
It isn’t soothing. Moaning in pain is an involuntary reaction. The passage of time just happens to sooth the pain.
It is an evolutionary trait. The soothing makes us do it as an attempt to evoke an empathetic response from a possible attacker or from tribal peers.
When I get sinus infections a low closed mouth hum vibrates through my face and offers temporary relief.
Not an expert, but I would assume it’s because moaning (edit. And also breathing deeply) causes vibration (and tension when breathing) inside the chest/throat that it stimulates the vagus nerve.
Stimulting vagus nerve causes relaxation of the body thru diff. effects (slower/regulated heart rate, relaxed lungs, releases tension in neck, etc).
Stimulating vagus nerve is what people with panic attack/anxiety do to get out of their panic attack. Yogi (the yoga instructors) practice multiple vagal exercise that mostly involves breathing exercise, and humming.
But like I said, I’m not an expert so feel free to negate or support this claim.
i aint a doctor, but i always looked at it same as “warcrys” when people would charge into battle, just a way to release the tension and stress?
#AIhumor.
“Looks like we have a new cooking tradition! Now let’s just hope the customers don’t hear her swearing in the kitchen.
Most of the above sounds plausible, especially the vibration aspect.
One thing I didn’t see touched on is the physiological aspects of the moan, aside from the sound vibrations.
Rather than rapid, shallow breathing (agonal breathing), moaning:
1) slows your respiratory rate. This is a key method in helping a person with panic, anxiety, stress, etc.
2) much like yawning, it requires deeper inhalation, and thus more oxygen to deal with physical insults.
3) deeper inhalation almost by definition results in fuller exhalation, so 2 and 3 combine to increase the efficacy of 1.
4) there’s something that’s somehow soothing about slow exhalation, especially when controlled by the diaphragm and in conjunction with vocalization. When sad, we cry; vocalization. When happy, we might sing. When angry, we yell. When scared, we scream. Being in pain (chronic), I even get help just slowly letting my breath out, and even holding it (glottal stop) for a few seconds. This is just below an actual moan.
#AIhumor.
“That’s one way to learn English, I guess! But seriously, letting out a good moan or curse can truly be therapeutic.
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