Care home residents were left “incredibly calm” after unusual sound bath sessions with Tibetan singing bowls, crystal harps and ancient healing techniques.

Staff at Pendine Park’s Gwern Alyn and Hillbury homes in Wrexham said the sessions had a remarkable relaxing effect on residents, with many remaining peaceful and content for hours afterwards.

The immersive classes use instruments including gongs, drums and chimes to create soothing vibrations believed to reduce stress and improve wellbeing.

Enrichment activities coordinator Anita Moran said residents and their families were so impressed after the first session at Hillbury that further sound baths were arranged at both homes which are next door to each other.

The sessions are being hosted at the homes by reflexologist Angie Birkinshaw, a retired headteacher who has been holding sound baths for three years in and around Wrexham through her Reiki Sounds business.

Anita, who has been an activities co-ordinator for two years, said: “Our first session with Angie was held in Hillbury and the residents loved it and the family members loved it too, they still go on about it now, and so we’ve organised another session there.

“The care staff were telling me after the first session all the residents were so calm in the evening, it was incredible.

“The residents who took part said they really enjoyed it, it was just something new to try and it was very popular.

“We heard about Angie because one of her friend’s dad is a resident in Hillbury.

“We then asked Angie to have sessions here in Gwern Alyn too and we were delighted she agreed.

“The calming effects of the sound bath seem to really help the residents, they bring a very nice and peaceful atmosphere and the effect seems to last for a while.

“It is amazing what it does.

“Music is always popular in our homes, but this is a different musical sound, you hear it and you can feel it too.

“We do a lot of activities here in the homes but the sound baths are definitely one of the more unusual things we have put on for residents and they are going down ever so well.

“The sound baths are definitely out there a bit, but it is wonderful to give the residents a new experience.”

Angie, from Gresford, said she was delighted to hold the free sessions at the homes and allow the residents to enjoy the sound baths, which have roots in many ancient civilisations.

The 56-year-old mum-of-two, a former headteacher at Bronington School, said: “The residents were very quiet during the sound bath at the first session in Hillbury and I was told that was unexpected for them to be so quiet, and I think they really enjoyed it.

“I got into sound baths basically by just going to one or two that other people did to find out more about them.

“I am a reflexologist as well and the lady who taught me reflexology used to do sound baths as well so at the end of our reflexology training she would get her instruments out and do a sound bath, and that is where I picked it up from and I love it.

“Sound healing is thousands of years old, so ancient tribes would use instruments as a celebration and as a way of communicating and it developed from there.

“The Tibetan monks used the bowls as a form of worship and it is an ancient practice which is why they are mostly percussion instruments.

“Other countries have used them for a long time, Thailand and Nepal for example.”

Angie explained there was a real science to the instruments and their effects.

She said: “The key thing is all the instruments have a resonance and they are all at about 430Hz, which is the key Hertz for relaxation.

“So even though they are all different pitches, the actual wavelength is the same.

“The sounds fill your body up because at the end of the day our bodies are atoms and so when the instruments vibrate they make our atoms in our bodies, our bones and in our organs vibrate and respond.

“The vibrations from the sound instruments change your beta waves in your brain into alpha, delta or theta waves which make your brain more relaxed – they actually change your brainwave.

“So if you’re stressed and busy, it actually changes that brainwave to a calmer state, that is scientific evidence.

“People have told me that after my sessions they have enjoyed better sleep, better pain management, they feel more relaxed, it balances the body.

“I do this for payment in places such at community centres in Black Park, Gwersyllt and Marford but the sessions at the care homes are free because I want to give something back.

“My key thing is I want to use this as a healing mechanism.

“People can contact me through my Reiki Sounds Facebook page.”

Angie is also a volunteer listener with The Samaritans and retired from her headteacher’s role at Bronington School three years ago.

She has also worked at Cunnington Primary School near Northwich and at Victoria Infants School in Chester.

Many of the residents had a chance to try out some of Angie’s instruments at the end of the session.

Susan Vaughan had a go on the Tibetan singing bowl, and said: “I enjoyed it very much, I found it very relaxing and I have never experienced anything quite like it.

“It’s wonderful really.”

Beryl Roberts said: “I thought it was really interesting, I have never had a sound bath before, it was definitely something different.

“I really liked it, and I really like all kinds of music.”

Gwen Davies said: “I really enjoyed it, I had never heard of a sound bath before to be honest, I thought it was marvellous.”