Sound Therapy: Binaural Beat Frequencies and Their Effects upon the Mind

What are Binaural Beats?

A spiritual phenomenon is present in the healing, vibrating pulsations of binaural beats and their ability to induce mental states such as relaxation, creativity, and meditation. Binaural beats help reduce stress and anxiety, increasing levels of focus, concentration, and motivation. They also assist with improving long-term memory, evoking profound states of meditation, and enhancing psychomotor performance. They have proven to be incredible tools for accelerating learning, generating calm, alert, and euphoric mental states, and showing the extent of how consciousness is affected by the brain.

When two frequencies unify into a synchronous tone, such as 300 Hz and 310 Hz, the collaboration of two tones creates a 10 Hz binaural beat frequency. The brain produces low-frequency pulsations in amplitude and sound localization when two slightly different frequencies are connected separately and listened to through headphones.

For the beating tone to be noticeable, they must be below 1000 Hz, and the frequencies must be less than or equal to 30 Hz, or else the tones are experienced separately, and no beat can be perceived.

When the two synchronous tones form a less than 10 Hz binaural frequency, the auditory system can distinctively follow changes in the interaural time differences. As a result, the audio is perceived, moving through the head. The perceived directions correspond to the instantaneous time difference.

However, if it is more than 10 Hz, the auditory system can no longer keep up with the changes in the interaural parameters. When amplitude and loudness are rapidly indistinguishable, a comprehensible noise cannot be inputted, like a bunch of random instruments playing off-key at once.

Above 30 Hz, the frequencies are less sync, and the cocktail party effect comes into action. The cocktail party effect is the ability to isolate and focus on specific sounds in a sea of noise. Although headphones are not needed for the experience, the cocktail effect won’t be as strong because they will appear playing at two different tones through loudspeakers. The auditory system can analyze the ear signals of two different sound sources at two different locations. Therefore, two distinct signals are perceived.

To reap the benefits of binaural beats, you must be specific about the type of frequency you want to be transmitted into your brain. In an ocean of vibrational waves, finding what floats your harmonic boat takes exploration. The discoveries are nearly endless, and what you experience will shift your mental state and alter your consciousness permanently.

Brain waves: Frequency range, Name, Brain State Association, and Benefits

***Frequency Range Chart is Approximate, Not Exact***

Frequency Range Chart:

Gamma waves — fastest oscillation between 25–40 Hz

Frequencies induced during higher mental activities such as perception, problem-solving, fear, and consciousness.

Gamma waves radiate when the mind has reached its highest level of concentration. They assist with increased cognitive flexibility, attention to detail, tunnel vision focus, and divergent thinking. Individuals who produce more gamma rays are likely to experience greater cognitive abilities, concentration, and feelings of satisfaction.

Beta waves — normal oscillation between 12–35 Hz

Frequencies induced during mental, intellectual activity, focused concentration, and alertness.

Beta waves assist with maintaining attention or concentration for long periods, potentiate motivation for studying or activities requiring mental energy, enhance language and reading skills, and even help with children’s Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD).

Alpha waves — slower oscillation between 8–13 Hz

Frequencies induced relaxation while awake, pre-sleep and pre-wake drowsiness, REM sleep, and dreams.

Alpha waves are associated with deep relaxation, learning, meditation, pre-sleep or pre-waking drowsiness, and introspection. In addition, they help with easing anxiety, decreasing depression, increasing pain tolerance and resilience to stress, and improving creativity levels.

Theta Waves — 4–8 Hz

Frequencies induced during profound meditative, relaxed states and NREM sleep.

Theoretically, theta waves help improve learning because children in this state longer than adults usually learn faster. In addition, half an hour in the theta state can reduce sleeping needs for up to four hours, similar to a meditative state. Some people even use them for lucid dreaming, out-of-body experiences, astral projection, telepathy, and psychokinesis.

Delta Waves — < 4 Hz

Frequencies induced during deep, dreamless sleep and loss of body awareness.

Delta binaural beats can decrease anxiety and increase the quality of life. A claimed effect is that sound-induced brain synchronization enhances the learning ability in humans.

Frequency List of Brain Wave States, Binaural Beats, Isochronic Tones, and Monaural Tones Between 0.1 Hz — 40 Hz:

0.1–0.4 Hz = Epsilon waves. Higher states of consciousness, meditation, inspiration, metaphysical insight, and out-of-body experiences.

0.5 Hz = Delta waves detox. Full brain toner. Relaxing for the lower back and head, assists with headaches, migraines, and backaches. Energizes thyroid, and reproductive organs, and stimulates excretory functions.

1 Hz = Delta Waves. Feelings of well-being, harmony, and balance. Possibly assists with pituitary stimulation of growth hormone HGH.

2.5 Hz = Delta Waves. Helps with pain relief and relaxation. May reduce anxiety. May stimulate production of endogenous opiates(endorphins). Produces a sedative effect with reported usage for bleeding, bruising, insomnia, and sinusitis.

3.5 Hz = Delta Waves. Induces feelings of unity. Can accelerate language retention enhancement and receptivity. Potential remedy for depression and anxiety. Stimulates DNA.

4–7 Hz = Theta Range. Associated with the following: memory recollection, visual imagery, creativity, dreaming, zen meditation, intuitive augmentation, conducive to profound inner peace and wisdom, mysticism, transforming unconsciously held beliefs, physical and emotional healing, psychic abilities, retrieving unconscious material, bursts of inspiration, twilight sleep learning, deep relaxation, hypnopompic and hypnagogic states.

7.0 Hz = Theta Waves. Best used for dreaming and astral projection as it may stimulate psychic energy.

7.5 Hz = Theta Waves. Inter-awareness of self and purpose. Used as a creative frequency for art and invention of music. Mediates connection with spirit guides for direction. Can be used for visualization for healing and entry into meditation.

7.83 Hz = Theta Waves. The Earth Resonance. Used for grounding and balancing auric field. Considered the “Schumann Resonance” can induce feelings of vitalization, accelerate healing and enhance learning.

8–12 Hz = Alpha Range. Best range for light relaxation, accelerated learning, optimistic thinking, creative problem solving, mood elevation, and stress reduction. May induce intuitive insights, daydreams, and unfocused lucid mental states. Assists with subconscious reprogramming, detachment from ego, visualization techniques, and meditation.

10 Hz = Alpha Range. Can enhance the release of serotonin, help with hangovers or jetlag, resync the circadian rhythm, improve motor impulse coordination, and increase mental alertness.

13–30 Hz = Beta Range. Responsible for alertness and waking, conscious state. Active during periods of listening and thinking in analytical problem solving, judgment, decision-making, and processing information. Beneficial for absorbing information passively, improving attentive abilities, and treating hyperactivity.

18–21 Hz = Beta Range. Can induce euphoria or pleasant sensations experienced during a jogger’s high.In small doses, this frequency can produce a rush, but too much can cause a headache. Theoretically most effective around 20 Hz.

22 Hz = Beta Range. Can be used in conjunction with 40 Hz for out-of-body travel and psychic healing.

30–40 Hz = Gamma Range. Responsible for information-rich, high-level processing. Induces psychic synchronization.

33 Hz = Gamma Range. Considered the frequency of Christ consciousness. Induces hypersensitivity. One of the Schumann Resonance frequencies for the Earth’s magnetic force field.