Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.
brainwave binaural | focus meditation music
Neuroscientists are working very hard to learn more and more about how the human brain works and to put that knowledge to use in treating emotional and functional disorders that, up to now, were simply untreatable.

Among the tools being developed is the practice of “brain mapping”. This is the popular phrase used to describe what is known technically as “Quantitative EEG”, or “QEEG”. In the simplest terms, QEEG refers to a thorough analysis of the bandwidth of the electrical currents in the brain as measured by an EEG.

The data produced are used to develop computer generated color coded maps of the electrical currents in the cerebral cortex. The colors are keyed to a scale used in identifying possible problem areas.

In the same manner as other tests measure blood flow in the brain, a QEEG measures electrical activity. Science has shown that early detection of even very minor interruptions, or changes, in the flow and connectivity of electrical activity are often early warning signs of developing problems. So QEEG is most frequently used to study brainwave patterns to decide if a patient is a good candidate for Neurofeedback which is a series of treatments designed to restore normal brainwave activity.

Results of a QEEG are compared with a database of many hundreds of brain mapping results from people without brain abnormalities. Any deviation from this “normative database” is then scored on a scale of -3 to +3 and is color coded for quick identification on the brain map.

It is important to note that, like any medical test, the results must be correctly analyzed by a trained person. Because a brain map is computer generated, it is susceptible to what is known as “artifacts” which are data that are produced by something other than the brain itself such as muscle contraction or erroneous placement of the recording electrode. QEEG tests are most often administered in a clinical setting, either a hospital, or a Neurologist’s office and can cost several thousands of dollars.

The QEEG is but one part of an overall assessment of brain activity and structure. By itself, a QEEG does not describe emotional problems in real terms. Instead, A QEEG is accurate at locating and identifying problem areas but cannot distinguish how severe a problem may be.
Brainwave entrainment is a method to stimulate the brain into entering a specific state by using a pulsing sound, light, or electromagnetic field. The pulses elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following’ response, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given beat.

This ‘frequency following’ response of brainwave entrainment can be seen in action with those prone to epilepsy. If a strobe flashes at their seizure frequency, the brain will ‘entrain’ to the flashing light, resulting in a seizure.

On the positive side, this same mechanism is commonly used to induce many brainwave states; such as a trance, enhanced focus, relaxation, meditation or sleep induction. The brainwave entrainment effectively pushes the entire brain into a certain state.

Brainwave entrainment works for almost everyone. It is a great way to lead your mind into states that you might usually have difficulty reaching, allowing you to experience what those states feel like.

THE HYPE
There is a lot of marketing hype around brainwave entrainment. It is sold with promises of increasing IQ, promoting weight loss, ‘mind-tripping’, enhancing creativity, concentration, inducing spiritual states and more.

While these claims are not entirely true, they are not altogether false either. In practice, the claims are based on an overly-simplistic view of how the brain and the brainwaves function.
THE RUB
People are very seldom deficient in a certain brainwave type in all areas of their brain. Usually the distribution is much spottier, with an excess in one area and a deficiency in another.

We are all different, especially when it comes to the distribution of our brainwaves. Boosting a certain brainwave state may be beneficial for one person, and emotionally uncomfortable for another. Without knowing each person’s starting position, entrainment can be rather ‘hit and miss’.

If brainwave entrainment leaves you with unwanted side-effects (see below) or discomfort, you’re probably encouraging a range of brainwaves that are already excessive in some area of your brain. The way around this is to get a brain map to see what your brain’s strengths and weaknesses are, and see what (if any) brainwaves could use some encouragement.