

There are five different primary categories of brain wave patterns that can be achieved through binaural beats: This process is known as "brainwave entreatment."

Binaural beats, which quickly trigger slower brain waves, can be a shortcut to achieving a state of deep meditation. Meditation has countless health benefits, but it also is sometimes quite difficult to achieve a meditative state. Many people believe that binaural beats between 1 and 30 Hz provoke an effect similar to that of deep meditation on the brain. But that's part of the magic of binaural beats and sound healing in general-it proves that we can consciously decide to trigger unconscious sensations and visions in our brain that, though they may not be conventionally real, can have very real benefits to us. There's something hallucinatory about listening to binaural beats and knowing that your brain is taking things into its own hands (or into its own neurons?) and making up a sound that's not there. When two different frequencies hit this part of the brain, it "acts like the conductor of an orchestra, coordinating and synchronizing the activities of many neurons throughout the rest of the brain," writes Jacob Pollack for SelfHacked.

What does it mean to "synchronize" a sound? The part of our brain that processes sound input from both ears is known as the superior olivary complex. Your brain absorbs that third, nonexistent sound. In addition to hearing the 132 Hz and the 121 Hz frequency, you also hear a third sound that vibrates at 11 Hz. But when they work, they create what is essentially an auditory illusion-but a powerful one.īecause there are two different Hzs being played into each ear, your brain-always looking to create a unified version of the world around you-hears the difference and synchronizes with it. Binaural beats only work at less than 1000 Hz, and the two sounds must only be around 30 Hz away from each other. What is Frequency? Humans are capable of hearing sounds that vibrate at a frequency of anywhere from 20 to 20,000 Hz. All sounds vibrate at a certain frequency, and one single vibration is typically measured in Hz. A Hertz is a measurement that refers to one cycle of any unit. To understand binaural beats, you have to understand Hz. How Binaural Beats Work: Listen to Your Hz While binaural beats haven't been scientifically proven to be effective treatments for mental health conditions, they are beloved by many listeners for their undeniably relaxing, hypnotic effects. If you've ever searched Spotify's collection of sleep-inducing playlists, you may have come across a collection of songs labeled "binaural beats." If you play one, you'll hear a collection of soft, ambient noise, featuring bells and beats that bounce from ear to ear.īut what exactly are binaural beats? They're a form of audio therapy often recommended for conditions like insomnia and stress, though some believe they can help listeners achieve states of deep meditative bliss.
