What's Brainwave Entrainment?
Brainwave entrainment is the technical term for the phenomena that allows us
to intentionally change our mental state by using specific sounds or flashing
lights. You will probably have heard of "alpha" or "theta"
waves when brain activity is discussed. Measurements of the EEG (the electrical
signals given off by the brain) during different activities have led to the
discovery that there are recognisable and repeatable patterns relating what a
person is doing and their dominant brainwave rhythms. The brainwave frequencies
and the corresponding mental states have been broadly classified into these
bands:
| Dominant EEG Frequency |
Frequency Band |
Mental State |
| 16 - 40Hz |
High Beta |
wide awake but jumpy and agitated |
| 12 - 16Hz |
Low Beta |
alert, wide awake state |
| 8 - 12Hz |
Alpha |
peaceful, contemplative |
| 4 - 8Hz |
Theta |
meditative, dreamy state |
| 1.5 - 4Hz |
Delta |
sleep state |
Now this is fine but it's a passive observation of what the brain is doing
when we, somehow, get ourselves into the states outlined above. What is much
more exciting is that, if given the right stimulation, either through sound or
light, the brain can "lock on" to the stimulus. This means that if we
have a flashing light or sound with a beat of somewhere in the 8-12Hz region,
the brain will eventually notice and "lock onto" this stimulus, at the
same time taking us into the corresponding peaceful, contemplative Alpha state.
To summarise, by using the correct stimulus (light or sound) we can pull
ourselves into the corresponding mental state. This can provide a shortcut to
helping ourselves relax, meditate, sleep ... |
