Have you ever listened to music on headphones with one ear and then the other? For some people, it can be a strange sensation. What is going on here? Quite simply, the two different sounds are creating an audio illusion that tricks your brain into hearing something that isn’t there. This phenomenon is called binaural beats. Read on to learn more about how binaural beats work!
What are binaural beats
Binaural beats is brainwave entrainment technology that uses two different frequencies to stimulate and alter the listener’s state. The auditory beat frequency provided by a sound source – say, music or talking – creates another beat inside your head which mimics its pattern in an effort to create “hemispheric synchronization” where both sides of the brain work together towards one goal.
Brain waves generated through external stimulation changes depending on what stimulus it received as well as how they’re interpreted within each individual person but for most listeners, their brainwaves will start at either a beta (14-30 hertz) or alpha level (12-15 hertz). The four main categories include: Delta (.02- .25 hertz), Theta (between .05- .40 hertz) Alpha (.06-.90 Hz), and Beta (12-35+ Hz).
The two hemispheres of the brain control different things. One controls logical thinking, language processing, and understanding speech while the other is in charge of creativity, spatial perception, intuition awareness; essentially everything that deals with “feelings” as opposed to simple knowledge or logic.
What binaural beats do is provide a stimulus for both sides at once which allows them to work together towards one goal: hemi synchronization where they are able to communicate better between each side’s respective hemisphere. There has been interest in using this technology when it comes to treating a variety of things like ADHD, autism, insomnia, and PTSD.
Are binaural beats scientifically proven?
There have been many studies on binaural beats and their therapeutic effects. One study, published in the journal The International Journal of Neurosciences (IJN), looked at whether alpha brainwaves from a device called an alpha-stim could help with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children aged six to twelve years.
The IJN study found that the children who listened to forty minutes of alpha-stimulation each day for one week showed significant improvement in symptoms, but no effect on cognition. This suggests that at least some therapeutic benefits of binaural beats may be due to their ability to provide a distraction from everyday demands and noise through regular exposure.
In another study, participants were exposed to alpha-stim for thirty minutes per day over a period of one month. The researchers found significant improvement in symptoms among those with ADHD and high anxiety levels who listened to the device compared to those who did not listen at all .
This may be explained by the fact that alpha-stimulation is a form of exposure therapy, which has been shown to help patients with anxiety disorders who are unable to control their own thoughts and worries. In other words, it provides an external stimulus in the form of sound waves that helps distract from constant rumination.
What is a brainwave entrainment device and what does it do?
A brainwave entrainment device is a type of audio recording that, when played through headphones or earbuds, changes the frequency and intensity of your brainwaves. It does this by generating tones in accordance with an individual’s specific range for each wavelength.
The binaural beats (or “bens”) create frequencies at intervals that we’re unable to hear, and it’s these frequencies that create the entrainment effects in order to produce desired changes.
This is why they are also called “binaural” beats. And because of this process, different sound waves for each ear drum being created simultaneously – causing a unique effect on brainwave activity.
The brainwave entrainment device is a safe, drug-free way of eliciting these changes. However, it’s important to only use them when they’re intended for the specific purpose of brain development and enhancement.
Binaural beats vs Isochronic tones
Binaural beats are not the same as Isochronic tones. Isochronic tones, for example, use two different frequencies to produce a single sound wave – like that of an orchestra tuning up before they start playing music. Binaural beats on the other hand uses one frequency with left and right stereo channels producing a “beat” effect inside your head.
The listener can’t tell where exactly this beat is coming from but still has it’s desired effects in entraining their brainwave activity towards whatever structure or level you’re trying to achieve.
The benefits of Binaural Beats
The benefits of binaural beats are that they can be used in a variety of ways. They’ve been successfully use by doctors and neurologists to help treat patients with brain injuries or even helping them cope with chronic pain after car accidents while other research has shown how it helped improve creativity, problem-solving skills, memory retention and more for people who listened daily over long periods of time.
There are many therapeutic uses for binaural beats as well. They can be used to help people with sleep disorders, ADHD and anxiety among other things. All one needs is the right frequency beat mixed into their sound or music of choice.
Additionally, there have been many studies done that show these types of frequencies can create significant changes in moods as well. These include increasing one’s awareness levels while decreasing their aggression levels – which may make it easier on those who suffer from PTSD among other things.
The use of this type of frequency is also thought to be a potential way for those who are experiencing depression to increase their serotonin levels. Serotonin is the “feel-good” hormone and can help an individual feel less depressed or anxious, which could lead them down the path of feeling better in general.
Binaural Beats have also been found to improve creativity, relieve pain and even induce lucid dreaming. Whether someone is looking for a natural sleep aid or just some peace of mind during an eventful day, binaural beats are worth trying out – they could provide the relief you’re seeking.
For more information on Binaural Beats and Binaural Beat Frequencies visit HERE