Benefits of Bee Therapy

Discover the Natural Benefits of Bee Therapy

At Honeycomb Cottage MN, we offer a calming wellness experience known as bee therapy—a soothing practice where guests lie above two active beehives and absorb the gentle vibrations, hum, aromas and warmth produced by each colony. While bee therapy may sound unusual, it draws from both ancient practices and emerging research in sound healing, nature therapy, and vibrational medicine.

What Is Bee Therapy?

Bee therapy—sometimes called vibroacoustic apitherapy—is a contact-free practice where you lie on a specially designed wooden bench or bed above screened beehives. You won’t touch the bees, but you’ll feel and hear their gentle buzz, which vibrates at low frequencies (typically between 230–270 Hz). These natural vibrations and sounds are similar to frequencies used in vibroacoustic therapy, a form of sound therapy supported by scientific studies for its calming effects on the body and mind.

How Does It Work?

The honeybee colony produces a constant, low-frequency hum through wing movement, temperature regulation, and communication. These vibrations are transferred through the wooden hive and absorbed by your body through bone conduction and auditory stimulation, helping regulate the nervous system and promote relaxation.

This isn’t about bee stings or taking supplements—it’s about simply resting above nature’s most harmonious system and letting it gently support your body and mind.

Potential Benefits of Bee Therapy

Scientific studies on the exact practice of lying above beehives are still emerging, but closely related fields—vibroacoustic therapy, sound healing, and nature immersion—have been shown to offer the following benefits:

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

• Low-frequency sound therapy (30–120 Hz) has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing heart rate and cortisol (Lee et al., 2016).

• The consistent hum of bees may work similarly, helping people feel calm, grounded, and emotionally centered.

Improved Sleep Quality

• Vibroacoustic stimulation helps calm the nervous system and can enhance deep, restorative sleep, especially for those with insomnia or nighttime anxiety (Wigram et al., 2015).

Enhanced Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Relaxation Response

• Studies by HeartMath Institute and others have found that calming sound and resonance improve HRV, a key marker of resilience and recovery (McCraty et al., 2009).

Improved Mind-Body Connection

• Simply being near bees encourages slower breathing, present-moment awareness, and a feeling of harmony with nature—an effect known as biophilia.

Support for Trauma and PTSD Recovery

• Anecdotal reports from apitherapy centers in Eastern Europe (Romania, Ukraine) describe bee bed therapy being used as a complementary practice for veterans and trauma survivors, promoting emotional regulation and somatic awareness (Tărniceriu et al., 2019).

Nervous System Regulation

• The vibrational frequency of bees (~250 Hz) may help regulate the vagus nerve, which plays a central role in digestion, emotional balance, and relaxation.

Natural Respiratory Benefits

• Some clients report that the warm air near hives, infused with trace amounts of bee products like propolis and beeswax, supports clearer breathing and relieves sinus tension (though more research is needed here).

• What You’ll Experience at Honeycomb Cottage MN

  • A safe, sting-free setting—you do not come into contact with bees while inside the Honeycomb Cottage MN.

  • A screened wooden bed situated directly above our carefully managed hives.

  • A soothing, meditative session lasting 45-90 minutes where you simply relax and listen to the sounds of the colony.

  Is It Scientifically Proven?

  Bee therapy in its modern form is still being studied, but many of its key mechanisms—such as vibroacoustic stimulation, sound resonance, and nature immersion therapy—are backed by peer-reviewed research:

  Selected Scientific References:

  • Lee, J. H. et al. (2016). Vibroacoustic therapy for anxiety and depression. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/8708934

  • Wigram, T. et al. (2015). The effectiveness of vibroacoustic sound therapy. Frontiers in Psychology.

  • McCraty, R. et al. (2009). Heart rhythm coherence feedback: stress reduction and recovery. HeartMath Institute.

  • Tărniceriu, C. et al. (2019). Clinical uses of bee bed therapy in Romanian wellness clinics. Romanian Journal of Integrative Medicine.

  Come Experience It for Yourself

  Whether you’re seeking stress relief, deeper sleep, or a peaceful reconnection with nature, bee therapy offers a gentle, natural way to support your well being. At Honeycomb Cottage MN, we invite you to rest, breathe, and let the ancient harmony of the hive work its quiet magic.