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.
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There is a common question bombarding the brains of most people regarding brainwave entrainment technology. Does hypnosis work is now the popular question that crosses the minds of most people. If you are among those with doubts whether this technique works, then your doubts will be settled in this article when you finally believe that the technique works perfectly. But before tackling the workability of hypnosis, it is important to understand what the term really means. This calls for understanding of the terms related to hypnosis such as unconscious mind, hypnotic suggestions, trance state, just to mention a few.

Hypnosis refers to a natural state or condition of consciousness that everyone goes through on a daily basis in the course of his duties. Just give a thought on the activities that keep you busy blocking other stimuli, noise among other interruptions. For instance, most telephone calls will go unanswered when people are watching their favorite television programs or when listening to their favorite music. Interpersonal communication hardly succeeds during such times when people’s attention is carried away by such activities as television programs or music. It is also a common scenario that people do not realize turns when driving or even traffic lights and when they reach their destinations, they oddly have a feeling that the car knew where they were heading to. All these examples denote focus on the main activity or trance. This happens due to the fact that hypnosis is a natural occurrence.

Another related term is hypnotherapy also known as hypnotism which refers to the utilization of trance as well as suggestion in improving general self-control as well maintaining a mental attitude that is positive. Trance as discussed earlier is the state where an individual is hyper focused on an activity such that any other event or occurrence goes unnoticed. What about the unconscious mind as well as the utility of suggestion?

To make lasting changes in life that are positive requires addressing changes occurring on your current conscious state. That is why brainwave entrainment experts such as hypnotists or hypnotherapists use techniques that guide people into a state of relaxation or trance. In hypnosis, the unconscious mind focuses on the words of the hypnotist and suggestions. The unconscious mind comprises part of the mind involved in making important decisions regarding someone’s physical functionality such as being aware as well as managing physical sensations or feelings including pain, body position awareness and regulating functions of the nervous system inclusive of blood pressure, hormone secretion, respiration, heart rate, body temperature and so on.

Furthermore, the unconscious mind serves to maintain emotional expression, memory and recall, intuition as well as inspiration, fantasizing, dreaming and daydreaming among other natural aspects. Using different techniques, hypnotists make suggestions focusing on an individual’s unconscious mind which comprise of positive statements helping the person reach his or her goal. Hypnosis helps in dealing with numerous issues such as management of pain, losing weight, smoking, personal as well as professional success, reduction of anxiety as well as stress among many other positive changes in life.

Therefore, next time when someone asks you whether hypnosis works, you are in a better position to prove your argument.
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.