Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology – CIM14.

Berlin, Germany 2014

B INAURAL A UDIO RELAXATION T ECHNIQUES FOR P EOPLE WITH

A NXIETY AND STRESS
Geraldine Molina, Emilia Sainz, Levi Serrano, Santiago Rentería, Diana Urquiza
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Santa Fe
Correspondence should be addressed to: rosas_ger@hotmail.com, dianauf@itesm.mx

Abstract: Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a Table 1: Brainwave Frequencies and Psychological
great development in different studies related to encephalography Consequences
and the psychological consequences of binaural audio. The objective
of this paper is to analyze the effects of binaural audio as a Brainwaves Frequency Amplitude Mental State
relaxation method for people that suffer anxiety and stress. (Hz) (μV)
The study took place at ITESM, Santa Fe Campus, where twenty Delta 0.1 - 3 20-200 Consciousness
participants around 21 years old took part of the study. They were is lost, sleep
divided into two groups, Experimental and Control. The first one without
listened to the Theta binaural stimuli and the second one listened to dreams
a stimulus with nature sounds (birds and wind).
Theta 4-7 20-100 REM Sleep,
The results show that the experimental group got to conscious meditation,
relaxation. The control group had an unconscious relaxation and Creativity
(sleep), but when the stimuli stopped they recovered their stress
Alpha 8 - 12 20-60 Conscious
level, for some participants it increased.
Relaxation
1. BACKGROUND Beta 13 - 40 2-20 Concentration,
th Alert, and
At the end of the 19 century, Pierre Janet, a French cognition
psychologist, discovered that his patients relaxed when they
(High levels
were exposed to rhythmic light patterns. Hans Berger showed in
1924 that brainwaves could be read and studied through an are associated
with anxiety)
encephalogram [2]. The first studies were done using visual
stimuli, while later studies were done using sounds [3].
Brainwaves are caused by changes in the electric tension It has been proved that delta sound waves in binaural audio
between two points in the brain cortex. The therapy have anxiolytic effects on patients with pre-surgery
electroencephalogram has been used to analyze anxiety [7]. Theta binaural sound waves are also helpful with
neurophysiological relations that exist between mental states relaxation and anxiety reduction [11].
and brainwave frequencies. When somebody’s mental state According to the results presented by the company Regus, in
changes from alert to somnolence, low amplitude and high Mexico, 75% of employed people suffer from stress and
frequency brain waves turn into high amplitude and low anxiety. These cause social, health, and economic problems at
frequency [4]. the same time that productivity decreases [5]. According to the
Mexican National Labor Organization, stress means that the
2. BINAURAL AUDIO GDP decreases from 0.5 to 3.5%.
Giuseppe Tartini discovered combination tones. These occur Stress leads to anxiety, irritability, fear, depression, suicidal
when two tones are heard at the same time and the listener thoughts, and lack of concentration. Some other symptoms are
perceives a third tone. The frequency of the third tone is headaches, nausea, dizziness, muscular tension, insomnia, and
calculated by the difference between the first two tones, as tachycardia [6]. There are different techniques to induce
shown in equation 1. relaxation like meditation. New relaxation techniques with
binaural audio have been developed through Neurosciences.
( ) [8] (1) 3. OBJECTIVES
• Evaluate and analyze binaural audio therapy effects (Theta
The superior olivary complex integrates the phase differences, frequencies) on people that suffer anxiety and stress (Students at
which makes possible the perception of the third tone. For ITESM), in order to induce relaxation and reduce anxiety.
example, if the left ear hears a 400Hz tone and the right ear a
• Determine if the binaural therapy induced relaxation in the
410Hz tone, the listener will perceive a 10Hz tone [9]. This
third tone is also known as binaural frequency. experimental group and compare the results to those from the
control group.
The binaural frequency is directed from the superior olivary
complex to the reticular formation and the brain cortex, where • Through the STAI test and the electroencephalogram results,
determine which stimulus is more efficient.
the electroencephalogram can read its effect. The Frequency
Following Response (FFR) phenomenon happens when the
frequency read by the encephalogram is equal to the 4. HYPOTHESIS
combination tone frequency. When this happens, the frequency Hi: Frequency Following Response phenomenon will take
resonates in the brain stimulating the reticular formation place, as Delta and Theta bands will share frequencies with the
inducing different psychological states. Brainwave bands and combination tones.
psychological consequences are shown in Table 1 [16]. Hi: Beta brainwaves will show up when the stimulus begins, as
they are related to concentration and alertness.

5. EXPERIMENT
Twenty participants were randomly divided into two groups,
control and experimental. The first group listened to sounds of
Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology – CIM14. Berlin, Germany 2014
nature (birds and wind) while the second group listened to theta
binaural sound waves. Both groups listened to the stimulus
through headphones. During the experiment, participants were
monitored with the Neurosky Mindwave Interface, which was
connected through Processing to a Max Patch that saved all the
data in a ‘.csv’ file. Before the stimulus, a baseline EEG took
place and the participants answered the “Trait” part of the STAI
test and a pre-experiment “State” version of the test. After the
experiment, participants answered a post-experiment “State”
STAI and a post-experiment EEG also took place. Each
experiment was developed with one participant at a time in a
controlled environment. American Psychological Association
Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct 2002 were followed.
6. MATERIALS
• Herman Miller chair
• Neurosky Mindwave Interface
• Maximum Voltage – 1mV
• Maximum radiofrequency Range (Bluetooth) 10m
• Maximum transference rate through RF – 250kb/s
• Sample rate – 512Hz
• Battery cycle – 6-8h
• MacBook Pro
7. SOFTWARE
• Processing 1.5.1
• Microsoft Excel
• Max 6
• Braintocsv V1.5: Application developed in Max 6 by Santiago
Rentería, which collates data gathered from the Mindwave
interface into a ‘.csv’ file.
8. DOCUMENTS
• STAI questionnaire (Annex 2)
• STAI “Trait”: Measures anxiety as a temporal state.
• STAI “State”: Measures anxiety based on how people feel on
a daily basis.
• Consent Letter (Annex 3)
9. CONTROL ENVIRONMENT
Recording Studio Control Room located at Instituto
Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus
Santa Fe. Fixed temperature at 22ºC and acoustically isolated.
10. STIMULI
• Experimental group – Binaural Theta frequencies
• Control group – Nature environmental sounds
11. PROCEDURE
• The participant is asked to read and sign a consent letter.
• A pre-experimental three-minute encephalogram is taken and
the participant is required to answer State and Trait STAI tests.
• The corresponding stimulus is played during ten minutes and
an EEG is taken.
• The State STAI test is answered and a post-experiment EEG is
taken.
12. VISUAL DATA ANALYSIS
The stimuli took place from second 180 to second 774.
(Graphs in Annex 1)
12.1 Theta
The significant time range was from second 3 to second 948.
The most significant moments were the following: (see annex
A1.5)
s = 189; p = 0.014; t = 1.025
s = 495; p = 0.002; t = -1.923
s = 780; p = 0.001; t = -2.349
12.2 Meditation
The significant time range was from second 240 to second 912.
The most significant moments were the following: (see annex
A1.3)
s = 240; p = 0.042; t = .0.685
s = 522; p = 0.013; t = 0.546
s = 702; p = 0.016; t = 0.897
12.3 Delta
The significant time range was from second 12 to second 954.
The most significant moments were the following: (see annex
A1.10)
s = 177; p = 0.046; t = 1.696
s = 627; p = 0.016; t = -1.366
s = 912; p = 0.007; t = 1.758
12.4 Attention
The significant time range was from second 243 to second 870.
The most significant moments were the following: (see annex
A1.11)
s = 243; p = 0.021; t = 0.672
s = 513; p = 0.005; t = 0.722
s = 753; p = 0.017; t = 0.383
12.5 STAI
Variations were found in STAI-State pre-experiment and post-
experiment:
• Control group results rose from 19 to 21
• Experimental group results decreased from 20 to 15.
Variations between both groups were found in the STAI –Trait:
• Experimental group with a score of 32 in STAI-T test outran
control group by 4 points
13. RESULT ANALYSIS
Samples were analyzed every three seconds. They were later
statistically distributed according to the T-student test in order
to find differences between both groups.
For this experiment, the significant p value was p<0.05, this
means that the probability is less than 5%
T-student detailed analysis:
• The meditation value is similar in both groups, (see graph
A1.3). T-student function shows less significant points for this
parameter. This means both stimuli induced relaxation to the
participants.
• Theta values are higher in the control group, especially after
second 510 (see graph A1.5) almost at the middle of the
stimulus.
• STAI “State” post-experiment results from the experimental
group are higher than the control. Therefore, theta binaural
frequencies were more effective as an anxiolytic stimulus. (see
graphs A1.1 and A1.2)
• Delta values are higher after second 285 in the control group
(see graph A1.10). This indicates deep sleep and losing of
consciousness over the body (unconscious relaxation). It is
highly possible that the participant fell asleep or got to the first
stages of sleep.
• There is a significant difference in delta between experimental
and control groups after second 870 (post-stimulus). For the
Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology – CIM14. Berlin, Germany 2014
first group it increases, and for the second decreases.
Experimental group did not fall asleep but maintained a
relaxation state after the stimulus, while control group achieved
unconscious relaxation but the effects did not hold. The STAI
“State” indicated that stress increased after the stimulus for
control group (see graph A1.2).
14. CONCLUSIONS
• Delta (20-200) and theta (20-100) brainwaves are the ones that
have greater amplitude (microvolts) in both groups. Results are
clearly shown in graphs A1.5 and A1.10.
Graph A1.5 Theta
Graph A1.10 Delta
• Higher frequency EEG waves such as beta waves have less
amplitude. This happens because they are not synchronized and
have more phase differences in both groups.
• An increased alpha parameter is higher in the experimental
group, which indicates that they achieved conscious relaxation.
In contrast, the control group showed higher delta waves and
presented signs of deep sleep during the experiment. Control
group also possibly reached REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep
halfway throughout the stimulus due theta waves presence in
the EEG.
• Beta waves are higher in the control group from s = 507 to s =
624 because of unexpected sounds in the stimulus (traffic noise
appeared in the original recording).
• Both stimuli induced relaxation, but it is important to point out
that a person can relax without falling asleep. In this way the
binaural stimulus worked better.
• It is likely that the control group fell asleep with the nature
sounds stimuli because lack of stimulation.
• Contrary to what we expected, theta binaural waves didn’t
induced FFR in experimental group, although they helped to
achieve conscious relaxation.
• Delta waves were higher in the experimental group during
post-experiment measurements. This suggests that relaxation
states were maintained with the absence of stimulus.
• Presence of Alpha waves was reduced during deep sleep. This
evidence is supported by the control group’s Delta values.
• In the absence of stimuli, Delta wave values of the control
group decreased, which means that relaxation effects did not
prevail.
• The effectiveness of an anxiolytic may be measured through
the relaxation degree during stimulus and whether its effect
endured or not.
• For further evaluation of coherence [17] between brainwaves
in both hemispheres and the ERP, the use of a 10-20 EEG
system is recommended.
• Post-experimental STAI “State” tests results are lower in the
experimental group. This means that Theta binaural waves were
a better anxiolytic than the stimuli (nature sounds) used in the
control group.
REFERENCES
[1] Huang, T., & Charyton, C. (2008). A Comprehensive
Review of The Psychological Effects of Brainwave
Entrainment. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine,
14(5).
[2] Berger H. (1929) Über Das Elektrenkephalogramm Des
Menschen. Arch Psychiatrie Nervenkrankheiten.
[3] Chatrian GE, Petersen MC, Lazarte JA. (1960) Responses to
clicks from the human brain: some depth electrographic
observations. Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol..
[4] Ulam, Frederick A. (1991) An Investigation of the effects of
binaural beat frequencies on human brain waves. California
School Of Professional Psychology.
[5] Notimex. (2013, July 02). México, país con más estrés
laboral. El Universal. Retrieved from:
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/ciencia/2013/mexico-pais-mas-
estres-laboral-78744.html
[6] American Psychological Association (n.d.). Stress: The
different kinds of stress. Retrieved from:
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-kinds.aspx
[7] R. Padmanabhan, A. J. Hildreth and D. Laws. (2005) A
prospective, randomised, experimentalled study examining
binaural beat audio and pre-operative anxiety in patients
undergoing general anaesthesia for day case surgery.
Anaesthesia. 60, 769-773.
[8] Loy, Gareth. (2006) Musimathics. London, England: MIT
Press.
[9] Atwater, F. Holmes. (2009) Frequency Following Response
Study. The Monroe Institute.
[10] Ferraro, Fernando M., Acuña, Marcelo. (n.d.) Formación
Reticular y Fibras de Asociación del Experimental Encefálico.
Departamento de anatomia facultad de medicina, UBA.
[11]Le Scouarnec, R. P., Poirier, R. M. Owens, J. E., Gauthier,
J., Taylor, A. G. and Foresman, P. A. (2001) Use of Binaural
beat tapes for treatment on anxiety: a pilot study of tape
preference and outcomes. Alternative Therapies in Health and
Medicine.
[12] Díaz, M. A., & Comeche, M. I. (2004). Beneficios de la
relajación. Retrived from:
http://www.psicologiadelasalud.es/beneficios_de_la_relajacion.
html
[13] Gómez García, J. (2003). Efectos de la música trance
percusiva y la música trance electrónica en el EEG. Tesis
Licenciatura. Psicología. Departamento de Psicología, Escuela
de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de las Américas Puebla.
Retrieved from:
Proceedings of the 9th Conference on Interdisciplinary Musicology – CIM14. Berlin, Germany 2014

http://catarina.udlap.mx/u_dl_a/tales/documentos/lps/gomez_g_ ANSIEDAD/EVALUACION GENERAL DE LOS

j/capitulo_1.html TRASTORNOS DE ANSIEDAD/ESCALA DE ANSIEDAD
[14] Universidad Complutense de Madrid. (2006). Proyecto de ESTADORASGO (STAI)/STAI_F.pdf
apoyo a la evaluación psicológica clínica. Retrieved from [16] Hassan, H., Murat, Z., Ross, V., & Buniyamin, N. (2012).
http://pendientedemigracion.ucm.es/info/psclinic/evaluacion/Pr A Preliminary Study on the Effects of Music on Human
oyecto Apoyo EPC 2006/INSTRUMENTOS Brainwaves. International Conference on Control, Automation
EVALUACION/TRASTORNOS DE and Information Sciences (ICCAIS)
ANSIEDAD/EVALUACION GENERAL DE LOS [17] Johnson, J., Petsche, H., Richter, P., Von Stein, A., & Fiilz,
TRASTORNOS DE ANSIEDAD/ESCALA DE ANSIEDAD O. (1996). The Dependence of Coherence Estimates of
ESTADORASGO (STAI)/STAI_P.pdf Spontaneous EEG on Gender and Music Training. University of
[15] Universidad Complutense de Madrid. (2006). Proyecto de California Press.
apoyo a la evaluación psicológica clínica. Retrieved from
http://pendientedemigracion.ucm.es/info/psclinic/evaluacion/Pr Annexes: https://www.mediafire.com/?cayel53iabg620d
oyecto Apoyo EPC 2006/INSTRUMENTOS
EVALUACION/TRASTORNOS DE