Do you love a good bubble bath? Luxuriating in the hot water and inhaling the soothing scents of your favorite soap can certainly take the edge off a hectic day. But did you know that another kind of bath is available to help you quiet your mind? A sound bath, a relaxing form of meditation available in yoga studios and holistic health clinics, is giving bubble baths a run for their money.

Sound baths are a type of guided meditation that incorporates vibrations made from instruments such as crystal or singing bowls, gongs, chimes, and drums. Participants recline fully or sit in a comfortable position, encouraged to bring their own mats or blankets from home for maximum comfort. Some practitioners encourage attendees to participate in making the sound making, such as by chanting “OM” as in many yoga practices. In other sessions, participants tune out completely, simply allowing the waves of sound to blanket them.

For many people who have tried meditation but found it too difficult, sound baths may be a good alternative. Some of us struggle to turn off our minds, and an instruction to stop thinking may frustrate us, causing the exact opposite result. When sound vibrations are added into the mix, however, the brain is engaged on a different level than in daily life, the vibrations bringing participants into a dreamlike state. Many people fall into a blissful sleep or are visited by positive memories.

In our daily life, sound is accompanied by visuals, as we are inundated with sensory input from electronic devices. But with a sound bath, only the sound vibrations are experienced, and no response is required—there’s no video to play, no e-mail to answer. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the demands of a busy holiday season, consider giving yourself the gift of a new experience—it may be just what the doctor ordered!