Treatment option: Binaural therapy for brainwave entrainment and symptom relief
A fairly simply way to scaffold your concussion recovery
Binaural entrainment: a shortcut to achieving certain states of mind
I’ve written about neurofeedback as a potential tool for retraining the brain to achieve certain states of mind. While it can be effective, it can also feel like a lot of work—and it requires your full attention.
Binaural therapy is an easier and cheaper way to achieve a variety of brain states, with the added advantage that you can pay attention to other things at the same time—such as your work.
This doesn’t mean that binaural entrainment can replace neurofeedback training. Neurofeedback is about developing an entirely internal locus of control, where binaural therapy is a blend of internal and external control.
With binaural therapy, all you need is a pair of headphones and an app. I use one from Brain Wave (no affiliation) called 35 Binaural Programs.
How Binaural Brainwave Entrainment Works
The folks at Brain Wave explain the mechanism of binaural brainwave entrainment succinctly:
During the entrainment process, two different carrier tones are played into the left and right ears. The frequency difference between these tones matches the brainwave frequency of the target state of mind. The listener will hear these carrier tones as an audible tone, however, when processing these two different tones the human brain will perceive the small frequency difference between the tones as an inaudible periodic beat. When exposed to this beat the listener's brainwaves will begin to synchronize with the beat frequency. What allows the human brain to perceive this beat is our directional hearing system, located in the brain stem. The brain's directional hearing system calculates frequency shifts between sound entering the left and right ear to quickly locate the direction of a sound, but when that difference is rhythmic, as with binaural tones, the brain synchronizes with the pattern.
In my experience, this synchronization process takes a few minutes to develop and sense. I’ve found it to be surprisingly effective.
Here are the 35 states available in the app:
- Morning Coffee: Gentle Alpha & Beta waves to start the day
- Espresso Shot: Energizing Binaural High Beta and Gamma
- Morning Meditation: Alpha and Theta for a centered mind
- Focused and Alert: High-Beta/High-Gamma to maximize focus
- Critical Thinking: Theta/Mid-Beta Blend to boost logical thinking
- Concentration: Mid-Beta Binaural tones for steady concentration
- Memory Boost: Beta Spectrum Mix to improve memory
- Problem Solving: Alpha,Theta/High-Beta for focus and creative problem solving
- Brainstorm: High Beta to boost lateral thinking.
- Confidence Boost: Alpha, Beta, High-Theta Mix to boost confidence
- Pre-Exercise Energy: High-Gamma tones for quick energy
- Creativity Boost: Increase creativity with Mid-Theta Binaural beats
- Positive Mood Boost: Low-Theta/High-Theta tones for positive thinking
- Motivation Boost: High-Alpha/High-Beta blend to increase motivation
- Euphoria: High-Theta, Beta, and Gamma to stimulate joy
- Stress Reduction: Mid-Alpha/Theta Mix
- Anger Relief: Mid-Delta/Alpha
- Calm Reflection: Mid-Theta
- Reduce Anxiety: Deeply calming Theta spectrum
- Deep Relaxation: Relaxing Low-Theta, Delta
- Meditation: Complex Alpha, Beta and Theta progression
- Lucid Dreaming: Experience waking dreams
- Dreamy Sleep: Delta/Theta Mix for deep sleep and dreams
- Power Nap: Restful nap with a wakeup stage for mental focus
- Deep Sleep: Low Delta wave sleep, effective for insomnia
- Deep Sleep with Wake-up Stage: Deep Delta for insomnia with wakeup
- Dreamy Sleep with Wake-up Stage: Delta/Beta
- Headache Relief: Relieve headaches with Low-Alpha/Theta/Delta
- Hangover Relief: Delta/Theta
- Yoga Meditation: Centering High-Alpha/Theta
- Alpha Relaxation: Calming Binaural Alpha
- Theta Meditation: Pure Theta for Deep meditation
- Gamma Power Nap: Extra energizing power nap with Gamma waking tones
- Night Meditation: Low-Theta/Delta to meditate before bed
- Night Reading: High-Delta/High-Theta for late reading
As the description above implies, the binaural effect can only be achieved while wearing a pair of headphones. You cannot listen with one earbud in, or with a stereo. It needs to be happening in both ears at the same time.
Binaural entrainment and concussion recovery
I’ve heard of people using binaural apps (like Brain Wave’s) immediately following a rehabilitative training session (such as physical or vestibular or cognitive training). The idea is to help the brain shift into a down-regulated mode with activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. This approach can potentially help prevent or diminish the dreaded over-stimulated feeling one can get after exercise.
I’ve used binaural training during the day while working at my desk to boost my mental endurance. I’ve found it helps me stay in states of focus for longer. I don’t tend to use it early or late in the day, but that’s just me.
While it’s possible to pair binaural therapy with other activities, such as heart rate variability training, that isn’t something I’ve experimented with personally.
When adding or removing anything from one’s daily practice, it’s important to proceed slowly and with caution. The app allows you to set a timer so you can dip your toes in with brief sessions.
Wrapping up
While neurofeedback training is useful, it requires your full attention, and sometimes you need to achieve the same ends while doing other things, like working at your desk or working toward a specific goal.
Binaural apps such as Brain Wave’s give you a cheap and easy shortcut to achieving certain states of mind, and in doing so, they can help provide a scaffold for all kinds of activities that may be otherwise challenging.
Some people use binaural apps after performing training sessions in order to help the brain downshift, and to avoid the feelings of overstimulation that can follow exercise, especially when that exercise provokes symptoms.
Brainwave is an informational resource for people whose symptoms haven’t resolved after a concussion or mTBI. I endeavor to present this information in a clear and concise way, spelling out what’s backed by science and what remains unknown. Nothing here is meant as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I am not a physician or a healthcare practitioner of any kind; I’ve simply had a lot of sports-related concussions and had to learn this stuff the hard way. If you found this information helpful or know someone who might benefit from it, please share and subscribe to Brainwave.