Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.
meditation training | alpha brain
What are the 4 brain wave patterns?
Beta-awake and thinking level. At this level we are physically in control of our senses. This is present moment awareness. Beta brainwaves occur between 14 – 30 Hz but during intense mental activity can reach 50 Hz.
Alpha-this is when we reach the very relaxed state-Dreams usually take place at this level and it is the most impressionable for creative work and visualization. Alpha brainwaves occur between 8 – 13 Hz and are normally found when a person is awake in a quiet resting state. These brain waves totally disappear during sleep.
Theta-we are never at this level in our conscious state-this is deep sleep. Theta brainwaves occur between 4 – 7 Hz and are mostly found in children, but can be found in adults in times of emotional stress, and specifically when disappointed or frustrated.
Delta-Delta brainwaves occur below 3.5 Hz and we see these patterns in normal deep sleep, during infancy and in serious brain disease and they occur only within the cortex. Babies in the womb are at Delta level of consciousness. Adults can also reach this level in deep sleep or under anesthesia.
Can Aromatherapy affect our brain wave patterns?
John Steele, Ph.D., of Sherman Oaks, California, and Robert Tisserand, of London, England, leading researchers in the field of aromatherapy have studied the effects on brain wave patterns when essential oils are inhaled or smelled. Their findings show that oils such as orange, jasmine and rose have a tranquilizing effect and work by altering the brain waves into a rhythm that produces calmness and a sense of well-being. In the same way, the so-called ‘stimulating’ oils – basil, black pepper, rosemary and cardamom – work by producing a heightened energy response.
The brain wave most useful for influencing the mind and therefore the emotions is the alpha rhythm.
Sedative oils like Roman chamomile, bitter orange, bergamot, lavender and Melissa can help induce the brain to drop into alpha and more easily accept positive thoughts and make imagery and visualization effortless.
What oils can evoke Beta-predominant patterns associated with aroused attention and alertness? Basil, rosemary, black pepper and cardamom.
What oils can evoke Alpha or even Theta and Delta-a quieting of mental chatter and the mind going into reverie? Orange blossom (neroli), jasmine and rose.
Want to know more about essential oils and how they can help us stay healthy? Consider becoming a certified clinical aromatherapist. The Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy teaches classes throughout the United States on aromatherapy and energy healing.
Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain? ?requency following?response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.
This ?requency following?response of brainwave entrainment can be seen in action with those prone to epilepsy. If a strobe flashes at their seizure frequency, the brain will ?ntrain?to the flashing light, resulting in a seizure.
On the positive side, this same mechanism is commonly used to induce many brainwave states; such as a trance, enhanced focus, relaxation, meditation or sleep induction. The brainwave entrainment effectively pushes the entire brain into a certain state.
Brainwave entrainment works for almost everyone. It is a great way to lead your mind into states that you might usually have difficulty reaching, allowing you to experience what those states feel like.
THE HYPE
There is a lot of marketing hype around brainwave entrainment. It is sold with promises of increasing IQ, promoting weight loss, ?ind-tripping? enhancing creativity, concentration, inducing spiritual states and more.
While these claims are not entirely true, they are not altogether false either. In practice, the claims are based on an overly-simplistic view of how the brain and the brainwaves function.
THE RUB
People are very seldom deficient in a certain brainwave type in all areas of their brain. Usually the distribution is much spottier, with an excess in one area and a deficiency in another.
We are all different, especially when it comes to the distribution of our brainwaves. Boosting a certain brainwave state may be beneficial for one person, and emotionally uncomfortable for another. Without knowing each person? starting position, entrainment can be rather ?it and miss?
If brainwave entrainment leaves you with unwanted side-effects (see below) or discomfort, you?e probably encouraging a range of brainwaves that are already excessive in some area of your brain. The way around this is to get a brain map to see what your brain? strengths and weaknesses are, and see what (if any) brainwaves could use some encouragement.