Informational Brain Entrainment Articles

Brain Entrainment
For centuries humans have wondered at the connection between specific sound frequencies and the
effect it can have on the brain and corresponding moods and emotions. From tribal drums to
periodic stimulus tones the human brain taps into dominant external frequencies and when it does
the mind can be altered to induce a host of different states including relaxation, sleep, creativity and
excitement. The practice of causing brainwave frequencies to match a periodic stimulus to produce
an intended state is called brainwave entrainment or brainwave synchronization and it is becoming
more popular as life becomes more stressful.
The study of sound and light and how it affects the human brain is nothing new. In the 1!"#s
$illiam %rey $alter used &&% equipment and strobe lights to detect the existence of high speed
alpha waves and low speed delta waves and how each played a factor in human sleep patterns. In
1'! %erald (ster published his discovery of binaural beats in )cientific *merican, a brea+through
article that defined binaural beats as apparent sounds which arise in the brain for specific physical
stimuli. Though first discovered in 1,! by -einrich $ilhelm .ove it wasn#t until (ster#s research
that scientists began to speculate that binaural beats could be used to help induce relaxation,
creativity and other desirable mental states.
Today brainwave entrainment is gaining rapid popularity with people who feel over/stressed,
depressed and unmotivated. $ith technology growing by leaps and bounds it#s not hard to
understand how a person can feel overwhelmed by information and sensory overload and instead of
ta+ing pills a growing segment of the population is turning to brainwave entrainment to produce a
more natural and lasting feeling of relaxation.
%uiding the brain into a specific frequency is now aided by computer generated rhythmic pulses of
sound, also called isochronic tones, so the brain can synchronize to a desired frequency. %uiding the
brain to faster or higher frequencies has been shown to stir creativity and motivation while
switching to lower or deeper frequencies can induce states of relaxation and calm. $hat used to
ta+e years of constant meditation can now be achieved in a few wee+s using an 01! player and the
right isochronic tones. Through this method of brain training and stimulation many people have
experienced increased productivity, desired feelings of calm and well/being and even more restful
sleep that can all lead to a happy and healthier life.
Brain Entrainment Research
The history of brain entrainment research goes well beyond modern day brainwave entrainment
software and electroencephalography 2&&%3. $hile modern entrainment programs, including
isochronic tones and 01! audio, have introduced users to a whole new way of synchronizing
brainwave frequencies to desired states of mind to achieve more productivity and deeper states of
relaxation, the research into how the mind responds to specific stimuli is an ongoing process.
The practice of brain entrainment, or brainwave entrainment, is really a more advanced form of
meditation, and in that respect the history of brain synchronization can be traced bac+ to tribal times
when shamanistic rituals used drum beats to perform sacred rituals. The use of percussion in brain
entrainment has been developed through the years to include binaural beats and now isochronic
tones to help guide the brain in to frequencies that can help stimulate or calm the human mind. $ith
the aid of computer generated rhythmic beats, it#s now easier than ever to dial in to the exact
frequency a user wants and synchronize their brain waves to the desired pulse.
&ven as early as 4"" *. when 1tolemy recorded the effects of flic+ering sunlight on a person#s
behavior, the groundwor+ was laid for future forays into brainwave entrainment using strobe lights
and &&% machines. The combination of light and sound has had a profound impact on the research
into brainwave entrainment as many tests have been conducted using both visual and auditory
stimulus to find out how the brain reacts to specific pulses and whether or not those reactions lead
to better brain synchronization.
Though light has been used throughout the brain entrainment research process, many users have
found auditory stimulus to be better suited for synchronizing brain waves to desired frequencies.
5esearch has been done using three types of sound pulses6 binaural beats, monaural beats and
isochronic tones. 7inaural and monaural beats both had initial success, but were found to wear off
quic+er in terms of sustained results. Isochronic tones have been used more frequently in current
brainwave entrainment practices since the results appear to last longer and the users ability to
entrain to specific pulses is easier to achieve.
Brainwave Entrainment
-ave you ever had difficulty sleeping8 Is it hard for you to relax8 .oes it feel li+e stress is always
present and getting stronger every day8 If you said yes to any of those questions you are not alone.
*s the pace of life in the modern world increases many people are feeling overwhelmed by
information and technology. The instant/now culture that is developing from smart phones and high
caffeine beverages has most of us on edge and it#s getting harder to turn off the information
overload. If you are loo+ing for a non/prescription, all natural way to relieve stress or increase your
creativity and productivity consider brainwave entrainment.
.eeply embedded in the human brain is the unconscious recognition and reaction to rhythm. From
tribal drums to computer generated beats pulses of electricity enter into our brainwaves and in turn
our emotions and moods can be affected by the speed and pitch of these beats. -igh speed
frequencies can induce creativity while slower beats can lead to states of calm and relaxation.
9ontrolling the pace and pulse of these beats is what brainwave entrainment is all about.
1reviously brainwave entrainment involved using what are called binaural beats, auditory
processing artifacts that send differently pitched frequencies into the human ear to get your brain to
entrain or match the difference between the two pitches. -owever not everyone responds to
binaural beats and studies indicate that people also noticed that the results achieved through
binaural beats quic+ly diminished and new systems would have to be bought to continue the brain
training. :ow there is a new method that involves isochronic tones that have much longer lasting
results.
Isochronic tones are regular beats of a single tone that are generated using computers. These
rhythmically pulsed beats can be sped up or reduced to produce either high frequency creativity
waves or lower frequency relaxation waves. 9ontrolling the frequency and pitch of the isochronic
tones can guide your brain into optimal frequencies for increasing I; and intelligence, inducing
deep states of relaxation and helping people with creativity and productivity.
The practice of brainwave entrainment is a+in to years of deep meditation where a person trains
their brain to turn off the constant white noise of everyday life while tapping into the unused
portions of the brain that lay dormant during most of our lives. (nce you are able to tap into the
right frequencies the possibilities for improving your brain#s functionality is almost endless.
Brainwave Entrainment Software
%etting the mind to relax and focus isn#t always easy. &very day we have to deal with stress and
pressure from <obs, travel, raising families and many other aspects of our lives, which often builds
up to cause our minds to become overly/anxious, muddled and confused. 1eople who don#t deal
with stress properly often have trouble sleeping, have poor health from bad diets and lac+ of
exercise and find they are unable to concentrate and focus when they need to. $hile there is no
quic+ fix to stress and pressure there are brainwave entrainment software pac+ages that can help by
synchronizing the mind with auditory pulses to achieve varied states of relaxation and creativity.
There are many different types of brainwave entrainment software pac+ages to choose from but
some of the most successful involve using 01! downloads of binaural beats or isochronic tones to
help guide brainwave frequencies in synch with higher or lower brain waves. 7y guiding the brain
into higher frequencies, people who practice brain entrainment often report higher levels of
productivity, while tapping into lower frequencies enables users to feel a deep sense of relaxation
that is usually only attained through years of intense meditation.
For years brainwave entrainment involved the use of binaural beats to help guide the brain into the
desired states. -owever users were quic+ to notice that though binaural beats did help in achieving
certain brain wave states, the process was <ust as easily unlearned by the brain and many felt they
could only achieve limited results using binaural beat technology. * solution was found with the
expansion of isochronic tones in brainwave entrainment software that allows computer generated,
rhythmically pulsed beats to help guide the user into elevated states of relaxation and productivity.
Today brainwave entrainment software is constantly being upgraded and twea+ed to produce even
more powerful responses to isochronic tones. $ith the development of 01! technology and
computer generated beats it#s easier than ever to select the frequency you want to tap in to and have
your brain entrain to these specific rhythmic tones to achieve relaxation and well being.
Binaural Beats
7inaural beats, also called binaural tones, were originally discovered by -einrich $ilhelm .ove in
1,! when he found that the perception of such tones triggered specific physical stimuli in the
brain. $hen binaural beats are used the brain produces an experience that results in low/frequency
pulsations in the loudness and sound localization of a perceived sound when two tones at different
frequencies are presented separately in each of the person#s ears. Though the science behind
binaural beats has yet to produce definitive evidence many neurophysiologists believe that if used
properly binaural beats can be used to reduce anxiety, stress and in some cases control the level of
pain a person feels.
*fter .ove#s discovery it was some time before another researcher, %erald (ster, published more
information about the sub<ect and included laboratory findings to bac+ up his claim that binaural
beats could and should be used in the study of cognitive and neurological research. From the
information gathered by both .ove and (ster people involved in brain training and meditation saw
an opportunity to expand on the effects of binaural beats through frequency following response.
Frequency following response posits that if a person receives a stimulus with a frequency within the
range of brain waves the predominant wave frequency is li+ely to move towards the frequency of
the stimulus, what is +nown as entrainment. 9redible evidence has been gathered to prove that
stereo auditory cognition activates various sites in the brain. $hat this means is that using binaural
beats can help stimulate certain parts of the brain that will in turn induce desired states such as
relaxation, creativity, productivity and possibly easing the side effects and symptoms of depression.
$hen the frequency of binaural beats is lowered people are expected to feel a sense of calm and
relaxation while higher frequencies can lead to creativity and productivity. 1laying off of alpha and
delta waves binaural beats people involved in brain training and sound meditation have been using
binaural beats to help calm their nerves in an increasingly hectic world. 7y synchronizing the brain
waves to a particular binaural beat frequency a listener has the ability to entrain their brains to the
pulses that will induce desired states.
Brain Exercises
$hen people thin+ of exercising it often involves physical exertion to strengthen muscles. The
human brain is also an important =muscle= in the body and with the right brain training and brain
exercises you can help +eep your mind fit, alert and ready to handle the rigors of a typical wor+ing
day. (ften brain exercises come in the form of games that help train the brain improve memory,
strategize and thin+ in advance. )ome common forms of brain exercise include chess, memory
games and mathematical problem solving.
*nother way to exercise the brain is through brainwave entrainment. Isochronic tones are computer
generated tones that are pulsed at specific frequencies to achieve desired effects such as
productivity or relaxation. *lthough brainwave entrainment is not a new practice // binaural beats
have been used in brain training since the mid/1,""#s // the use of computer generated isochronic
tones has become more popular lately and are also proving to be more effective in helping people
improve their memory and intelligence.
>nfortunately when most people stop formal schooling, either by achieving a degree or choosing to
drop out, the study habits and brain training that was part of their daily schedule also ends. The
memorization and critical thin+ing that helped get us through school shouldn#t have to stop <ust
because a specific goal has been reached. In fact, if you don#t +eep up with brain exercises your
mind will become lazy and won#t function in the as sharply as it used to.
?eeping the brain sharp requires exercise the same way muscles in the body require regular wor+
outs to maintain a defined shape. The more you train your brain with brain exercises including
strategy games, meditation and brainwave entrainment the better your memory, cognitive thin+ing
and problem solving will be. $e can#t expect our brains to always operate at the highest levels
possible, but we can ta+e proactive steps to help improve our focus, retain information and prevent
memory loss.
Improve Concentration
*s+ anyone today what they have a hard time with and more often than not they are li+ely to cite
trouble focusing or concentrating. $ith laptops, smart phones, television, %1) systems and social
media, it is hard to bloc+ out all the distractions when you need to focus on something specific.
*ttention deficit disorder may be one of the most popular excuses for our lac+ of concentration, but
it#s not an entirely accurate diagnosis since many of us simply aren#t training our brains the right
way to improve our focus.
9oncentration is necessary <ust to ma+e it through a typical wor+day. From driving and wor+ing to
shopping and coo+ing, focus is essential in order to get tas+s accomplished. >nfortunately many of
us have a hard time zoning in on a specific pro<ect and seeing it through to completion. 7eing easily
distracted is not necessarily a disorder but it will +eep you from managing your time wisely and
getting done the important things that need your attention.
There are several ways people can improve their concentration, including strategic brain games and
exercises, along with guided meditation and brainwave entrainment. 5esearch has shown that the
more a person trains their brain in specific s+ill sets, the better one can get at cognitive thin+ing,
problem solving and memorization.
>sing computer generated pulses, or isochronic tones, during brain entrainment meditation is
another way to synchronize your brain#s frequencies so you can operate on a fast or slow frequency
that will assist in achieving states of productivity or relaxation. *s we all +now, when we are
relaxed our concentration and decision ma+ing are much better than if we are under stress or
hurried. 7eing able to tap in to specific *lpha, Theta and .elta waves allows us to synchronize our
brainwaves with sound pulses so we can be more focused on specific pro<ects and tas+s.
It#s not li+ely that the world is going to slow down anytime soon. Technology is moving at a
brea+nec+ speed that can#t be turned off, and if we are going to adapt to this fast/paced lifestyle it#s
up to each of us to learn how to improve concentration, induce states of relaxation to reduce stress
and train our brains to handle the constant bombardment of information. >sing isochronic tones
during brainwave meditation can help you achieve better focus, deeper calm and improved decision
ma+ing.
Isochronic Tones
In brain training meditation and brainwave entrainment many people have used binaural and
monaural beats to try to achieve different states of either relaxation or productivity. -owever recent
research and individual studies have shed more light on the effectiveness of what are called
isochronic tones, or a regular beat of a single tone. )ome believe the brain entrains more easily to
the very distinct, clearly separated sound pulses of isochronic tones ma+ing it easier for the person
to get into the desired alpha, theta and delta states of mind.
* common problem many brain entrainment practitioners have encountered with binaural beats is
that the brain tends to recognize these tones, adapts to the beats and in time learns to ignore the
frequencies. $hen this happens, the person practicing meditation or brain entrainment will notice
what wor+ed before to induce states of calm and relaxation no longer have the same effect. $ith
isochronic tones or beats there is less chance of the brain adapting to the pulses and therefore the
user can continue to see results and improve their brains ability to focus.
In meditation and brain entrainment methods the goal is often the same, visualization and
manifestation. The idea is to relax your body and mind to a state where you can visualize what is
you want 2peace, calm, creativity, etc@3 and then =tune= in to the frequencies that are in harmony
with achieving such states to manifest your wants. 0ost people find it very difficult to focus
because so much else is on their mind. %etting a person to clear their hectic brains for even a minute
can be a very daunting tas+ as we are constantly thin+ing and problem solving throughout our
wa+ing and sleeping hours. 7ut with the use of isochronic tones it is possible to shut off the white
noise of life and tune in to specific audio trac+s that synchronize with the frequencies that can lead
directly to relaxation or creativity.
7rainwave entrainment and isochronic tones are not magic tric+s that one can simply snap on and
see instant results. Ai+e meditation it ta+es regular practice to entrain the brain to tune into the
desired frequencies and +eep that state going after the listening session is over. 7ut the more one
uses isochronic beats in brain training and brain entrainment exercises the more results people often
notice.
Meditation Techniques
)imply put meditation is the practice of training the brain into a mode of consciousness to realize a
desired state. For centuries people have practiced many types of meditation to improve their lives
by reducing stress and achieving higher levels of energy and alertness. (ften lin+ed with religion, in
particular 7uddhism, meditation is now commonly practiced by nearly 1"B of all *mericans and in
even greater numbers worldwide. )ince meditation deals with structuring the human brain it is very
similar to brain entrainment techniques and when studying the different methods of synchronizing
the brain with external frequencies the potential to reach enlightened states of consciousness
increases.
1eople meditate for many reasons6 to reach a state of inner calm, to re/energize their bodies and
mind, to achieve deep relaxation and to stir creativity. Today, due in large part to the increasing
stress being put on people#s lives many people are apt to try meditation in order to relieve the
growing tension in their lives. )ome of the more common meditation techniques include
mindfulness meditation, breath watching, wal+ing meditation, empty mind meditation and
transcendental meditation. $hether involving the body and mind, chanting or visualization
meditation is used to balance a person#s physical, mental and emotional well being.
The benefits of meditation depends on the person practicing it and to what extent they are able to
achieve their meditative goals but in addition to achieving a relaxed state of mind people who
meditate may be able to relieve insomnia, lower their blood pressure, stop smo+ing and cure other
maladies and habits that prevent them for leading happy and fulfilling lives. ;uieting the mind is
not easy to do but when one reaches a state of calm and clarity the gains can be very impressive to
both physical and mental well being.
Though brain entrainment is not technically meditation is does produce similar effects and for many
people is much easier to practice. 7eing able to re/wire the brain through specific stimuli has helped
many people reduce anxiety and stress and clear their minds enough to be more creative and
productive. :o matter what technique you choose for meditation including isochronic tones and
brainwave entrainment can be a great help in quieting your mind and achieving real and lasting
relaxation.
Stress Relief
$ith the hectic pace of modern day life everyone is loo+ing for ways to reduce stress. From long
hours at wor+ and caring for children or elderly parents to information overload and fears about the
worsening recession people have a lot to worry about, but sometimes the stress gets to be too much
and can have adverse effects on sleeping, eating and one#s overall health. 5educing the stress in
your life can do wonders for your mental and physical well/being, and one way to achieve stress
reduction is through guided meditation and meditation with brainwave entrainment technology.
)ince the mid/1,""#s scientists and researchers have experimented with sound waves, in particular
binaural beats and isochronic tones, to try to guide the brain into a specific frequency using pulses
of sound that can stir productivity and creativity or cause feelings of calm and relaxation. The
practice of brain training and brainwave entrainment are not entirely new but the use of computer
generated pulses and tones has become more popular of late since the results from isochronic tones
have proven to be more effective than binaural beats.
7y exposing the brain to special computer generated tones that are pulsed at a specific rhythmic
frequency, the brain will synchronize its own electrical impulses to that same frequency. This
means the brain becomes =entrained=, or matched, to the specific frequency of the pulses, which
gives you the ability to choose the primary frequency you want to experience in your brain. 7y
guiding the brain into deeper 2slower3 frequency brainwave patterns, you can induce a profoundly
deep state of relaxation and meditation with almost no effort.
These days it doesn#t ta+e much to stress people out. 7eing on edge <ust from living in the fast
paced modern world is often enough to put people precariously close to panic and anxiety attac+s,
insomnia and bad eating habits. These side effects of stress can combine to cause short and long/
term complications if someone doesn#t regulate their stress levels. If you are loo+ing for a natural,
non/pharmaceutical way to reduce stress, consider brainwave entrainment.