Therapeutic effects of singing bowls: a systematic review of clinical studies

Background: Singing bowl has traditionally been utilized to promote healing and relaxation. This systematic review aimed to analyze all available clinical evidence, and determine any beneficial or adverse effects of singing bowl in any population. Methods: Databases searched included PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, PsyINFO, CINAHL, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, Sinomed from database inception to July 2024. Clinical studies of singing bowl therapy, regardless of research type, population, and intervention were included. The risk of bias of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Data from randomized trials were analyzed and presented as the mean difference with 95 % confidence interval, and the results from two or more separate trials with same study type that evaluated similar populations, interventions, comparisons and outcomes were statistical pooled using meta-analysis by Stata.16 software. Results: Nineteen clinical studies originated from eight countries and published between 2008 and 2024 were identified. Half were RCTs (9), the remainder included case series studies (7), randomized crossover studies (2) and non-RCT (1). Evidence showed that singing bowl has been applied to a wide range of conditions, including the elderly, surgery, Parkinson's disease, pain, cancer, neurological function, sleep disorder, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, as well as physiological and psychological function, and it has mainly focused on outcomes related to mental health. Conclusion: Singing bowl may have potential to alleviate anxiety, depression, improve quality of sleep and cognitive function in various patient groups, and change autistic behavior. It also shows potential benefits in physiological improvements like electroencephalography. Protocol registration: PROSPERO, CRD42025639808.