Balance Your Brainwaves!

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One of the fascinating advances in neuroscience  is the understanding of brainwaves.

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What are Brainwaves?

Your brain is made up of billions of brain cells called neurons, which use electricity to communicate with each other. The combination of millions of neurons sending signals at once produces an enormous amount of electrical activity in the brain, called brainwaves. Researchers have found that not only are brainwaves representative of  mental state, but they can be stimulated to change a person’s mental state.

What follows is a basic description of the four major patterns.

Beta Brainwaves 12 – 40 Hz

The predominant frequency when we are fully awake and alert. Stimulating beta activity can improve emotional stability, energy levels, attentiveness and concentration. Producing excessive beta brainwaves can create stress, paranoia, worry, fear, and anxiety, hunger, irritability, moodiness and Insomnia. 

Alpha Brainwaves 7-13 Hz

Awake but deeply relaxed. Associated with “peak performance.” Meditation and relaxation, creativity, memory and learning, tranquility, calm and peaceful state. Lessens discomfort and pain and reduces stress and anxiety. Habits, fears, and phobias begin to melt away. When you close your eyes your brain automatically starts producing more alpha waves.

synchronization-brainwave-entrainment

Theta Brainwaves 4-7 Hz

Light sleep and/or extreme relaxation. Receptive mental state that has proven useful for psychotherapy. Insight, intuition, inspiration, heightened problem-solving skills. Dream like imagery and vivid dreaming. Feel more connected to others. Access to subconscious and memories.

 Delta Brainwaves 0-4 Hz

Deep, dreamless sleep. Renewal, healing, rejuvenation. Best state for immune system restoration, and health.

Brainwave Entrainment

Brainwave Entrainment refers to the brain’s electrical response to rhythmic sensory stimulation, such as pulses of sound or light. Entrainment is a principle of physics. It is defined as the synchronization of two or more rhythmic cycles.

When the brain is given a stimulus, through the ears, eyes or other senses, it emits an electrical charge in response. These electrical responses travel throughout the brain to become what you “see and hear.” When the brain is presented with a rhythmic stimulus, such as a drum beat for example, the rhythm is reproduced in the brain in the form of these electrical impulses. If the rhythm becomes fast and consistent enough, it can start to resemble the natural internal rhythms of the brain. When this happens, the brain responds by synchronizing its own electric cycles to the same rhythm.

Check out various brainwave Apps for your phone. Here’s one:

Brain Wave ™ - 30 Advanced Binaural Brainwave Entrainment Programs with Relaxing Ambient Background Sounds, Gentle Alarm and iTunes Music Integration for Sleep, Focus, Energy, Memory, Meditation and More

 

You can also find Brainwave tones on YouTube. I like this one:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l1Oy9T7-S8&index=15&list=PL_MPSSP1PXTyMAkEmO01jtMIVZvQmNP4L

 

Just Breathe

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Excerpts from Garima Roy,  Fractal Enlightenment

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Breathing in, I calm body and mind.

Breathing out, I smile.  ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Notice a new-born child sleeping. Just watching the child take deep breaths while he or she sleeps is meditative! You will see the abdomen expanding and contracting to its full capacity; this is our natural breathing state. But as we age our breathing tends to become more and more shallow. It becomes shorter and never reaches the abdomen.

We need to re-learn how to breathe.

Breath is the life-force energy. Our heart beats because of the breaths we take and due to this natural bodily function, energy is disseminated to each and every part of our body. Unconscious and disordered breathing can lead to heart and respiratory diseases, muscle cramps, numbness, reduced cognition, panic attacks, superficial blood flow which in turn can lead to host of diseases. Therefore, its crucial and advisable to practice conscious breathing.

 Conscious Breathing

The conscious act of breathing involves inhaling oxygen deeply, holding your breath for 3-4 seconds and then exhaling slowly, till you can’t feel any sensation near your nose. Following this simple technique brings a great amount of positive changes to your body, mind and soul. It is as important as sleeping and eating.

Researcher’s  have demonstrated that slow breathing increases alpha waves in the brain calming the mid-range waves which helps induce an alert yet relaxed state of mind.  Conscious breathing also helps in reducing stress levels, blood pressure, muscular tension, and much more.
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Conscious breathing demands you to be in the present, and when you are mindful of the present, you aren’t loaded with thoughts of the past and future.

As you breathe consciously, you become aware of your life force – in that awareness, you discover joy and positive emotions, and mindless thinking dissolves.

“Just breathe” are two magical words that you should always remember and practice. It will lead to a balanced mind that swims in the realm of peace, truth and serenity.

 

Next tidbit: Brainwave Entrainment!