What are the odds that there are several things you have in your home or work environment that are unnecessarily stressing you out? What are the odds that the stressful aspect of these items is a function of their sound?

And what are the odds that you can enhance the Feng Shui of your environment and your HQ (Health Quotient) by considering some of the suggestions I’m going to share with you in a moment?

I’d say the odds are pretty high for each of the above.

As we move into the New Year, many of us have rededicated ourselves to taking better care of our mind, body and spirit. Perhaps you’ll be exercising more, or eating more healthfully. As a part-time coach and consultant who assists individuals in becoming more aware of the nature of their sound environments and how they may harness the power of sound more effectively, I never cease to be amazed how we sometimes stress ourselves out with certain sounds in our life without even realizing it.

Let me give you some examples, and Sound Health/Feng Shui cures. Not coincidentally, they involve time, or at least, the measurement of time. We’ll leave aside for now the subjective experience of feeling rushed, of not having enough time to do all you need to do.

Instead, I’d like to begin by taking a look — and a listen — to how you begin your day. Do you wake up naturally, or are you awakened by an alarm clock? (Even the name should give you a clue as to the effect it has on your nervous system and overall well-being.)

If your day begins by being alarmed by a shrill bell, beeping tones or loud, jarring music, consider trading in that sonic offender for one of the newer models that allows you to awaken to a gentle CD of your choosing.

After all, why play what I call “radio roulette” first thing in the morning with a clock radio? You might be awakened by inappropriate classical or rock music for the healthful transition from sleep to waking consciousness. Even worse, you might awaken to the obnoxious sound of a commercial — which was most likely not produced with your well-being and balance in mind.

Obviously, I have some personal favorites: Chakra Suite, for example, not only presents a gentle way of easing into the day, but it also aligns and balances the chakras at the same time.

Captain Hook, Peter Pan, and the Ticking Time Bomb

Even as a child, I can remember being annoyed by the sounds of ticking wall clocks or grandfather clocks. I wondered why other people didn’t feel the same way. Didn’t they hear them?

Turns out most people didn’t. For people whose sense of hearing is extremely acute, many of the mechanical ticking sounds in our environment present a very noticeable irritant. However, unknown to most people, as I was the first to report to the public in my book Sound Health (Harper & Row, 1985), researchers at Stanford University proved that even if you don’t consciously hear certain sounds, they can still have a measurably stressful effect on your health and well-being.

Noises affect the quality of your sleep. It’s been well established that over 55 million Americans have difficulty falling asleep. Sleep deprivation, according to researchers, is a chronic state for many people. This leads to a wide range of health issues, as well as diminished productivity and focus on the job, decreased immune function, increased illness and absenteeism.

You may not have been a fan of Captain Hook in the Peter Pan story, but I always found it quite possible that his personality and career choices were at least in partial reaction to the stress caused by the noise of the ticking clock as much as it was by the loss of his hand.

Take a look — and a listen — around you. Is there a ticking clock on your desk, or on the wall near you? I continue to be amazed at how common these are. In 2004, we have so many choices of silent clocks that don’t shock and irritate your nervous system every second.

It’s not just in offices, kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms. I have a continually growing list of meditation rooms, yoga rooms, massage rooms, and so on that are dominated by a ceaselessly ticking clock. I have learned that for me, at least, the benefits of a massage are negated. I find it impossible to relax because my heart (and yours as well, I would bet) is constantly being entrained to the one per second ticking, rather than to the more natural deep breathing and slower heart rate associated with true relaxation.

A simple Feng Shi cure: move the clock out of the room if you’re trying to sleep, do yoga, or receive a massage. Better yet, buy a silent clock. There are lots to choose from.

Try it for thirty days, and become aware of the difference in how you feel. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to nurture yourself. Remember: sometimes, sound healing is not just what you listen to, but what you don’t listen to!

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Steven Halpern is one of the world’s leading composers of music for healing, wellness, and inner peace. His recordings combine ancient principles of sound healing, the healing powers of Mother Earth, and state of the art recording technology. His brand new releases are Crystal Bowl Healing and Ocean Suite.

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