Many people have used binaural beats in music to help them study, sleep, and create. It was Heinrich Wilhelm Dove in 1839 who discovered brain waves or binaural beats, but it wasn’t until 1973 that Scientific America produced Audiry Beats in the Brain written by Gerald Oster. It was at this time that some exciting ways in which rhythms could be used therapeutically emerged, but it wasn’t until later that the Monroe Institute, founded by Robert Monroe, set out to produce recordings reproducing the four main brain wave frequencies.
The naturally occurring brain waves in the brain are alpha frequencies, which occur between 8 Hz and 13.9 Hz, theta brain waves occur between 4 Hz and 7.9 Hz, beta frequencies between 14 Hz and 30 Hz, and delta between 0.1 Hz and 3.9 Hz. Different brain wave frequencies produce different functions in the brain. For example, when the brain is sleeping, it is in a delta state, which is a very relaxed state, while beta brain waves deal with the awake mind, when the mind is at its sharpest.
Many companies and individuals produce music that includes one of the rhythms. For example, if you need to feel alert but are very sluggish, you can listen to beta brain wave frequencies, and the idea is that your brain is forced into the beta state, making you feel more alert. This is especially useful for students who study long hours or professionals who work extended hours.
Can the brain be forced into a state? It depends who you ask, if you’re a skeptic and feel sleepy but want to be in the beta state, putting on headphones with beta binaural beats probably won’t do you much good because your subconscious mind resists it. However, for children who are hyperactive, many parents believe that having specific binaural beats set to music in their home or car really calms their children, as children are naturally much more receptive and it is not something that is forced upon them. .
Currently, binaural brainwave beats are not something the public school system uses to keep their students in a beta state, and even if they tried to do so, it would cause too many problems. Parents may feel that the school system is messing with the natural rhythm of brain waves, so no one knows for sure if it works in a school setting and it’s hard to imagine research being done in schools.
On the other hand, adults who want to try altering their current brain wave state can certainly experiment on themselves by listening to music with binaural beats. Many people are convinced that it works and others are undecided and not convinced one way or the other. The truth is, in fact, the human brain naturally goes through all four binaural beats every day when it is asleep, relaxed, alert, and creative. Lastly, listening to binaural beats is worth looking into to help you with creativity, alertness, relaxation, or sleep patterns.
