What Effect do Binaural Beats Have on the Brain?
Binaural beats are something you may have heard about and wondered about. Binaural beats can be described as sound frequencies that can produce different types of brainwaves. Binaural beats can be used in meditation and other healing modalities. Binaural beats can help improve brain function.
While the technology behind what are Binaural beats has not been around all that long, the idea is not nearly as far-fetched as you might think. Many forms of meditation have utilized this concept in order to help the individual achieve a state of harmony and calmness.
By listening to the binaural beats on a daily basis, a person can begin to realize a feeling of relaxation, calmness, stress relief, and even hyper-arousal all of which are associated with sleep disorders and anxiety. In fact, many people have begun taking binaural beats as a part of their daily ritual and find great success in helping themselves to sleep better and sleep through the night.
What are Binaural Beats?
Although scientists have known for a long time that music has a positive impact on brain function, binaural beats are still a new phenomenon. Binaural beats refers to the sensations your brain experiences when you listen to two tones very close together. It is as if both sounds are combined.
This is crucial for the brain as binaural beat processing is one of few activities in which both hemispheres work together to produce a specific result. Because the brain can only hear one tone, both hemispheres must work together to produce the same tone from each of the two coming in through each ear.
Binaural beats are essentially a method of blending two slightly out-of-sync sound frequencies to produce the feeling of a single new sound frequency. The theory is that if exposed to two slightly out-of-sync frequencies at once, one in each ear, then the brain actually experiences a single frequency which is the complete difference between the two different frequencies.
What Effect do Binaural Beats Have on the Brain?
Research has shown that binaural beats have a similar effect as meditation. Binaural beats have the ability to quickly relax your brain and improve concentration. They simply alter the frequency of your brainwaves.
Different sound frequencies stimulate different brainwaves. Binaural beats can be used to alter brainwaves and produce the cognitive functions you need.
- Gamma waves – These are used to stimulate the brain during higher processing tasks. They also improve memory and learning (40 Hz to 100 Hz frequency).
- Beta waves–Inspire conscious concentration, improved memory and problem-solving (12 Hz to 40 Hz frequency).
- Alpha waves–Bridge between conscious thought and subconscious thinking. They encourage calmness, deep relaxation and positivity (8 Hz to 12 Hz frequency).
- Theta waves – Enhance creativity, emotional connection and relaxation (4 Hz-8 Hz frequency).
- Delta waves–Motivate a better Immune system, natural healing and deep, restorative sleeping (0 Hz to 4Hz frequency).
How can I try binaural beats best?
You will need stereo headphones and a device capable of playing music to explore the potential of binaural beats. To achieve the brainwave state that you desire, you usually only need to listen to music for between 15 and 30 minutes.
Binaural beats therapy should not be combined with any other activity, particularly if you are driving or operating machinery. There are many online binaural beats soundtracks that you can download for free or very low cost. You can use them to study, create, or prepare for sleep.