Binaural beats are a phenomenon created when two tones of different frequencies are separately played into each ear through headphones. This leads to the brain perceiving a third tone, known as the binaural beat. The binaural beat is essentially the difference between the two frequencies.
Unlike regular sounds, which may indirectly influence emotions and cognitive states, binaural beats have been found to directly impact brainwave patterns through a process called brainwave entrainment. This entrainment synchronizes the electrical activity of the brain with the frequency of the binaural beat.
According to Paul Citarella, the executive vice president and chief technical officer of the Monroe Institute, brainwave entrainment works by presenting a rhythmic stimulus to the brain, causing the brainwaves to align with that frequency.
A simple analogy is the beating of a drum. If a drum is beaten six times a second, the sound reaches the ears six times a second, causing the neurons in the auditory cortex to respond. Over time, the rest of the brainwaves start to follow along with that rhythm.
Similar rhythmic practices, such as chanting and drumming, have been employed in spiritual traditions throughout history.
Studies have shown that binaural beats at 15 Hz increased the accuracy of participants’ responses and strengthened connections in the brain associated with memory and attention. However, binaural beats at 5 and 10 Hz had the opposite effect, decreasing accuracy.
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, a tenured professor at Stanford School of Medicine, has highlighted the benefits of 40 Hz binaural beats in improving focus and concentration. These beats are believed to increase levels of dopamine and acetylcholine in the brain, neurochemicals associated with attention and memory enhancement.
Binaural beats can also aid in promoting sleep by influencing brainwave patterns during the different sleep phases, as explained by Paul Citarella. By using entrainment, specific binaural beats in the theta range (between 4 and 8 Hz) can potentially induce the meditative state, leading to stress reduction, improved sleep, and lower blood pressure.
One advantage of binaural beats is their ability to guide individuals into meditative states more easily, without the significant time and effort required to develop a regular meditation practice, as stated by Citarella.
Some specialists, like Thompson, utilize binaural beats to entrain brainwaves to specific frequencies in order to achieve homeostasis in the autonomic nervous system. These specialists incorporate heart rate variability visualization and EEG measurements to monitor the effects of binaural beats on brainwaves and bodily functions.