A couple of weeks ago, we explored a simple acupressure technique to help calm the body. This week, we’ll again focus on the ears, but this time, we’ll be using sound through a high-tech approach called binaural beats.

Binaural beats are sounds you listen to with headphones or ear buds, and they work by gently nudging the brain to produce the frequency associated with calming the body.  The system providing the beats broadcasts a different frequency, or speed, in each ear.  Our best understanding of what happens next is that the brain responds to the difference in the two frequencies and “does the math.”  It will then begin to produce the frequency one gets from subtracting one ear’s frequency from another.

So, for example, let’s say you want to push the brain to create an alpha frequency.  The alpha frequency—called this because it’s the first electrical frequency that was discovered—has a peak oscillation of 10 Hz for adult, healthy brains.  The producer of your binaural beats program creates a sound of perhaps 200 Hz in one ear and 210 Hz in the other.  You will consciously hear this the same, high-pitched but gentle hum in each ear.  The brain, however, will respond to the two divergent beats by creating 10 Hz—210 Hz minus 200 Hz.

Since the alpha frequency of 10 Hz is the frequency of calmness and quiet awareness, the body will respond to this creation of 10 Hz by calming itself.  The calmer emotional state created by using binaural beats isn’t permanent, but it’s enough to take the edge off a stressful day.

One of the best things about binaural beats is that they’re easy and free to obtain.  Go on your phone to your apps store and search for binaural beats.  You will find that there are many options available.  Just be careful what you choose, because they come in different frequencies for different purposes.  If your goal is to calm yourself, avoid ones that emphasize focusing, because that will produce a beta frequency, or ones that focus on easing you to sleep, because that will be too slow of a frequency for your purposes.  Choose one that specifically says alpha or specifically emphasizes a meditative state.

Once you’ve downloaded your app and plugged in your earbuds, you’re good to go!  Find a quiet place, turn on your app, and close your eyes (always do alpha training with your eyes closed).  There’s no magical timeframe for using your binaural beats app, so do what works with your schedule and time availability.

Also, keep in mind that binaural beats are a great addition to neurofeedback training—I have them included in several of my computer designs, but pushing the brain into a frequency is not a replacement for neurofeedback training.  The optimal approach is using neurofeedback to teach the brain to regulate itself, then add in binaural beats for non-training days.