What are binaural beats?

• Technically: an auditory illusion. But that illusion creates a simple, yet powerful tool that can easefully help you alter your state of mind.
• Binaural beats occur when you play two different tones simultaneously, one in each ear. The brain perceives a third tone — the binaural beat. It’s the difference in Hz between the two tones — i.e. if you listen to 417 Hz in one ear and 396 Hz in the other ear, then the frequency perceived by the brain is 21 Hz.

Why listen?

• That perceived third tone (the binaural beat) can help you reach specific states of mind when it falls between about 1-40 Hz. It’s a form of brainwave entrainment in which you can synchronize your brainwaves to delta, theta, alpha, beta, or gamma frequencies. In other words, you can influence your brainwave activity to target desired mental states like: sleep, creativity, daydreaming, focus, learning, and even accessing your subconscious.

Your brainwave frequency = your state of mind

General rule of thumb:

• • Lower frequencies: promote relaxation, alleviate stress & anxiety, and improve sleep
  • Higher frequencies: elicit greater focus & improved problem-solving

• Delta Brainwaves (1 - 4 Hz) = Restorative Sleep
  • Occur during your dreamless sleep state, and are when your deepest levels of relaxation & restoration take place in the body. 
• Theta Brainwaves (4 - 8 Hz) = Hypnosis, Creative, Subconscious
  • Where you house your memories, emotions, and sensations. Linked to a hypnotic state — the brain is in a deeply relaxed, dreamlike state, promoting intuition and a state of oneness or knowing. You become more receptive to suggestion and can access suppressed memories & reprogram your subconscious mind. They’re associated with creativity & visualization.
• Alpha Brainwaves (8 - 12 Hz) = Daydream, Idle
  • Considered to be the bridge between the conscious and subconscious mind, making it conducive to daydreaming or imagining, in which your brain can idle. In this meditative state, you can also perform routine tasks efficiently & feel more calm and at ease. They can be achieved when practicing deep breathing, meditating, or closing your eyes to visualize.
• Beta Brainwaves (12 - 30 Hz) = Focus, Clarity
  • Occur during moments of focus & concentration that can range from feeling relaxed or to heightened alertness. They promote mental clarity, memory, and increased energy.
• Gamma Brainwaves (30+ Hz) = Alert, Learning
  • Associated with heightened states of awareness and consciousness, helping you to process information when you’re learning or problem-solving. 

• Wear headphones — without them, you won’t perceive the binaural beat.
• Some say it’s best to avoid tracks that superimpose other music onto the binaural beat. Personally, I find those tracks tough to tolerate, so at minimum I look for tracks that specify the binaural beat used so I know it’s incorporated. Here is an example of a pure binaural beat (skip to the 3 hour mark) as well as other types of frequencies you can explore.
• It’s suggested you listen for at least 15 minutes.