Stay Calm And Focused Using Binaural Beats
By Elizabeth W. Krasnoff, PhD
A calm and focused mind can be highly valuable in daily life. Keeping a calm mind can allow you to remain focused on whatever task you have at hand. Cultivating a calm mind on a consistent basis can contribute to career success and overall enjoyment of even the most routine activities. Yet day-to-day life is filled with stressful distractions and problems. How can you reach such a desirable state? You can try using the binaural beats (BB) sound technology to guide your brainwaves in that direction. BB come in five different sound frequencies: delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma. A blend of two particular frequencies, beta and alpha, are useful to persons seeking a calm focus. Listening to beta BB can improve mental focus, while listening to alpha BB can cause feelings of calm.[1] Science continues to demonstrate that BB work because they have an influence on the “relax or engage” switch of the autonomic nervous system.[2]
BB are not just a fun and interesting technology. The beats are gaining acceptance for treatment of sleep problems, depression, and mental health issues.[3] Although there is some resistance to this innovative approach, it is increasingly popular among mental health professionals since research shows that BB can be used to create behavioral change.[4] Using combinations of frequencies such as beta and alpha BB may be effective for achieving a combination of these desired effects.[5] For example, an alpha beta sleep study by Hayat has shown a primary difference between sleeping and waking states in the reduction or amplification, respectively, of these two brain frequencies.[6]
Research shows that listening to beta BB (14 Hz) enhances mental focus and learning.[7] There is growing evidence that BB supports mental focus in humans.[8] EEG is often used to measure the effects of BB on brainwaves. Brain analysis using EEG showed that attention and concentration were enhanced when listening to BB.[9] In addition, listening to beta BB has been associated with reducing negative moods.[10]
Next, try listening to beta BB combined with alpha BB. A person wishing to feel calm can reach the alpha state associated with tranquility by listening to alpha BB. For example, many people fear dental pain. In one study, 60 patients undergoing orthodontic work were divided into three groups and monitored for pain after the procedure. Results showed that the alpha BB with music group reported less intensity of both physical and psychological pain by the fifth day compared to the group with no music.[11]
The research described above shows that you can use beta BB and alpha BB to stay calm and focused. Since BB are played silently beneath music, choose music that you like. Music alone can put you in a relaxed state, so choose music that works for you personally. Since BB work by playing a different tone in each ear, use headphones or earbuds (but not while driving please!). Choose over-the-ear headphones if possible since they provide a fuller frequency of sound. Always listen to BB for at least ten minutes since it takes at least that long for brain neurons to start firing at the same rate as the BB.
I also prefer to use BB from research based binaural beats companies, rather than the BB of unknown origin that are flooding YouTube, Spotify and other channels. To that end I created my own app in which I feature songs with my lab tested formulas. If you have a favorite app that you use, check the research section of the app to make sure they have tested their formulas in the lab. If you’re unsure, email Sound Medicine® for a review of any research.
For more information, visit Elizabeth at www.sound-medicine.com. Sign up for the newsletter and receive a free binaural beats creativity track. For the full immersive Sound Medicine ® experience, download our app and receive a free two-week trial. This is an excellent holiday gift for anyone needing to rejuvenate on a one hour lunch break, a new mother, a student needing to focus, an exec on deadlines, or anyone who likes to walk and meditate to relax.
[1] Kirk, U., Wieghorst, A., Nielsen, C. M., & Staiano, W. (2019). On-the-spot binaural beats and mindfulness reduces behavioral markers of mind wandering. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 3(2), 186-192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41465-018-0114-z; Szabó, G., Drótos, G., & Szabó, C. (2015). Az elvárások és a hanginger szerepe abinaurális ütemek hallgatása során átélt szubjektív élményekre. [The effects of the expectation and sound stimuli on the subjective experiences of binaural beat listening]. Magyar Pszichológiai Szemle, 70(4), 769–785. https://doi.org/10.1556/0016.2015.70.4.4
[2] Gantt, M. A., Dadds, S., Burns, D. S., Glaser, D., & Moore, A. D. (2017). The effect of binaural beat technology on the cardiovascular stress response in military service members with postdeployment stress. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49(4), 411–420. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12304
[3] Shalforoushan, S. M., & Golmakani, Z. B. (2023). Effects of combined binaural beats on sleep quality, insomnia severity, and sleep hygiene improvement in insomniac students. Journal of Sleep Sciences. doi: https://doi.org/10.18502/jss.v7i(1-2).13212; Yang, S. Y., Lin, P. H., & Wang, J.Y. et al. (2024). Effectiveness of binaural beat music combined with rhythmical photic stimulation on older people with depressive symptoms in long-term care institution: A quasi-experimental pilot study. Aging Clinical Experimental Research, 36 (86) (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-024-02737-3
[4] Ibid.
[5] Garcia-Argibay, M., Santed, M. A., & Reales, J. M. (2019). Efficacy of binaural auditory beats in cognition, anxiety, and pain perception: A meta-analysis. Psychological Research, 83(2), 357-372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-1066-8
[6] Hayat, H., Marmelshtein, A., Krom, A. J., Sela, Y., Tankus, A., Strauss, I., ... & Nir, Y. (2022). Reduced neural feedback signaling despite robust neuron and gamma auditory responses during human sleep. Nature Neuroscience, 25(7), 935-943. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-022-01107-4
[7] Kirk et al., 2019
[8] Basu, S., & Banerjee, B. (2023). Potential of binaural beats intervention for improving memory and attention: Insights from meta-analysis and systematic review. Psychological Research, 87(4), 951-963. DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01706-7
[9] Park, J., Kwon, H., Kang, S., & Lee, Y. (2018, October). The effect of binaural beat-based audiovisual stimulation on brain waves and concentration. In 2018 International Conference on Information and Communication Technology Convergence (ICTC) (pp. 420-423). IEEE. DOI:10.1109/ICTC.2018.8539512
[10] Lane, J. D., Kasian, S. J., Owens, J. E., & Marsh, G. R. (1998). Binaural auditory beats affect vigilance performance and mood. Physiology & Behavior, 63(2), 249-252. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00436-8
[11] Aly, A. E., Hansa, I., Ferguson, D. J., & Vaid, N. R. (2022). The effect of alpha binaural beat music on orthodontic pain after initial archwire placement: A randomized controlled trial. Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics, 27(06), e2221150. https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-6709.27.6.e2221150.oar
