Binaural Beats

Binaural beats, also called binaural tones, were originally discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove in 1839 when he found that the perception of such tones triggered specific physical stimuli in the brain. When 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.

After Dove's discovery it was some time before another researcher, Gerald Oster, published more information about the subject and included laboratory findings to back 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 Dove and Oster 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 likely to move towards the frequency of the stimulus, what is known as entrainment. Credible evidence has been gathered to prove that stereo auditory cognition activates various sites in the brain. What 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.

When 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. Playing 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. By 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.

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