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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Those who suffer severe sleeping problems have tried many remedies and therapy techniques to find that some are much more successful than others. For example, there is the method of listening to relaxing music CDs which have embedded subliminal messages in the sound tracks to use subconscious suggestion to lull them to sleep. This method however, does little to nothing to solve the problem. While subliminal messaging does have its applications, solving severe sleeping problems just is not one of them, as the part of the brain involved with sleep and its functions is just out of this method’s applicability.

Hypnosis is another method used, especially by those who suffer the more severe cases of sleeping problems. The effectiveness of this method is the subject of some debate, as it can be effective, but only over time – and the amount of effectiveness depends upon each individual case. What’s more is that each session can be enormously expensive, even more so as a series of sessions are needed, spanning often months and sometimes even years.

Other types of audio therapy which does not utilize subliminal messaging or hypnotic suggestion is the use of certain frequencies of pulses and tones that are softly heard in the deep background of soothing music. The most advanced form of this has the distinction of not needing stereo equipment to be implemented, and has the highest success rates of all in the remedying of severe sleeping problems. Isochronic pulse therapy is this method, and the ever-changing frequencies of the pulses induce certain brainwave activities in the person listening which promote deep within mere minutes. This therapy also trains the brain to eventually no longer need the therapy after a number of sessions.
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.