Using Binaural Beats Effectively

Binaural beats are engineered to synchronize the two hemispheres of the brain to work as a whole (whole brain integration), and to cause the brain to ‘grow’ by increasing the neural pathways between the two hemispheres. For this to happen the brainwave frequency must slow down, the slower the frequency, the greater the synchronization.

As with any method of effective training, increased performance occurs progressively. When it comes to synchronization of the brains hemispheres, this occurs largely in four stages or brainwave states: the lower beta, the alpha, the theta and the delta states. Beta is the fastest brainwave frequency of the four. Incrementally, from beta, to alpha, to theta, to delta, the frequency decreases.

Because in our woken state we are in beta (10hz – 38hz approximately), and we wish our brainwaves to slow down, it is best to listen to binaural beats that are engineered to gradually reduce the listeners brainwave frequency. Entraining the brain for peak performance is not unlike training the body to run a marathon. You wouldn’t start from running very little at all to running twenty-seven miles a day. You would gradually build up your distance. Similarly when we are entraining our brain it is best to begin by listening to binaural beats that start in the lower beta frequency, say around 10hz – 15hz and gradually reducing down, progressively entering the alpha, theta and delta states. 

Once the brain is entrained, overtime, it will be easy for it to enter the slower (deeper) levels of consciousness (theta, delta) quickly, but it must learn how to do this and develop its neural connectivity between the hemispheres. If one was to immediately start listening to binaural beats that are designed to entrain the brain to the delta state straight away, it would not do the listener any harm, but it would not work as effectively either, because making such a drastic jump from one brainwave state to another is not the way our brains tend to work. 

Almost all binaural beats are designed to take you through the alpha brainwave state (the natural first stage of entrainment). When first beginning to use binaural beats, be sure that the recordings you start with are designed to include alpha state entrainment. Any good binaural beat engineer will design the entrainment recordings with this in mind, creating them in a way that takes the listener through all the brainwave states required for optimised synchronizing of the brain, in a gentle, progressive and pleasant way. They will also list the brainwave states that the binaural beats will entrain to in their description so that you know exactly what you are getting. 

Recommended binaural beats:  Binaural Beats