Such movements tend to become faster when the musical tempo is faster and are often accompanied by smiling as an indication of pleasure in synchronization (Clayton, 2012). Brainwave entrainment opens up the doors to accessing an altered state of consciousness in a matter of seconds. It’s a wonderful way to illuminate your mind and allow you to dig deeper, learning new things about yourself. Our mission and purpose for the above research is to inspire people to live more fulfilling lives by helping them explore their subconscious mind.
Some small studies have supported this theory, while others have found evidence that the changes in brainwave patterns may also trigger hormonal changes—including increased levels of melatonin and DHEA and decreased cortisol levels. People who use binaural beats may report feeling more relaxed, seeing improvements in mood and motivation, experiencing increased focus and lower anxiety, and sleeping better. People turn to brainwave entrainment and other forms of consciousness altering experiences for many different reasons.
Entrainment is a phenomenon that refers to the synchronization of biological rhythms with external stimuli. This concept is commonly used in various fields such as music, psychology, and neuroscience. So, how do people use entrainment?
It’s what we do here at Lumenate using the flash from your mobile phone, pairing with carefully curated music. As we’ll discuss later, brainwave entrainment isn’t limited to just vision, other senses such as auditory (notably through binaural beats, see more below) and even touch can be used too. Results of the EEG showed that people’s brainwaves were boosted in the same patterns that they were receiving from the entrainment devices (Figure 3). This means that people who received theta entrainment showed increased theta waves during the memory test, and beta entrainment likewise boosted beta waves (but importantly-did not improve memory). This was important because it meant that entrainment was actually working to change the brain. As we talked about in the audio entrainment section of this guide, binaural beats don’t actually cause brainwave entrainment.
There are various tricks to learn when approaching healing with your voice, from the fascinating Tibetan throat singing to speaking a simple mantra every morning. Also known as Dalcroze Eurythmics, this is a technique used to teach music to students as a form of therapy. It focuses on rhythm and expression as part of learning and development. Almost everything we experience in the universe is simply our perception of waves.
Once treatment begins, the polarity of the coils begins to rapidly change back and forth, delivering magnetic pulses to the desired neural region. The rhythms of these magnetic pulses help to entrain brainwaves to a target frequency. Monaural beats are the result of two tones combined before the sound reaches the ear, opposed to Binaural Beats where the tones are combined within the brain itself. Auditory beats will also not form in the brain when the two tones used have a pitch higher than 900 Hz. Discovered in 1839 by the German physicist Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, he found auditory beats form inside the brain when each ear is presented with its own tone of a slightly different pitch.
He later created one of the first audio entrainment companies called Hemi Sync, alongside the Monroe Institute of Applied Sciences. This process is called brainwave entrainment (BWE), which occurs when the electric rhythms of your brain begin to synchronize with the same rhythms of an external source. This source could come in the form of pulsing light, sound, touch, or even electrical signals. For example, ADD sufferers can use BWE technology to decrease theta brain waves, increase beta brain waves, resulting in a more focused mind.
You won’t need to splash out hundreds of dollars on high-end headphones, but you will need to make sure they are stereo and relatively clear sounding. It then sends out electrical impulses, which entrains this region of the brain towards normal neural activity. Almost immediately tremors begin to subside and they experience greater control of their body’s movement.
Music and Entrainment
One of the most popular ways people utilize entrainment is through music. Music has the power to influence our emotions, mood, and even physical movements. Through rhythmic beats and melodies, music can entrain our brainwaves, leading to a state of relaxation or heightened alertness. Many people use music for meditation, exercise, or simply to enhance their mood.
Entrainment in Psychology
In psychology, entrainment is often used in therapies to help individuals regulate their emotions and reduce stress. Techniques such as rhythmic breathing exercises, drumming, or guided meditation can entrain the brain to achieve a more balanced state. This can be particularly beneficial for those struggling with anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
Entrainment in Neuroscience
Neuroscientists study entrainment to better understand how the brain processes information and responds to external stimuli. By analyzing brainwave patterns and neural synchronization, researchers can gain insights into cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and learning. This knowledge can then be applied to improve cognitive function and treat neurological disorders.
