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.
relaxing music for stress relief | meditation tracker
NeuroProgrammer2 is versatile software for creating your own Brainwave Entrainment Products. You can save to MP3 or .wav files, choose “headphones required” or “headphones NOT required” Isochronics, Binaural Beats, Monaural Beats all available, and you can put your favorite meditation soundtrack over your beats.
If you get a commercial license, you can sell or give away your creations.
Requires some knowledge of Brainwave Entrainment Basics, Frequencies, and audio editing.
The price point is surprisingly low, and the software somes with several stock recordings that are very effective.
In addition, there is a “users Library” where you can download files from other NP2 users, and some of them are pretty darn good.
In particular, “Whole Brain Synchrony1 and 2” were very interesting. Meant to be used in conjunction with each other (play 1, then play2) They help with sleep induction, creative thinking, and stress reduction. The “Increase IQ” recording is useful with learning disabilities, and with those needing to boost brain-power. They would simply relax while the recording is played, and may experience slight headaches or a “tense” feeling around their temples for a few hours afterward. However, someone with an above average IQ probably would not see any effects.
One of my favorite recordings is “Creativity/Brainstorming”. For some reason, I write better listening to this than to the logical choice “Creative Focus”, which I can only handle for 20 minutes or so without getting a headache.
It is very interesting to note that this software is used with ADHD and Autistic patients, and while the research is still under way, it looks like there are some benefits of entraining the brainwaves of children as young as 3 (Please don’t use these products on anyone under 13 without medical supervision, as the effects have not been thoroughly researched as of yet).
Several of the other User Created recordings I found useless, (some people apparently get a kick out of creating states of opiate highs, or just silly sounds) But the serious creators have produced some really good recordings.
When I tried to produce my own recordings, I found that I could not seem to find a gentle way to ramp down within the allotted time period (half an hour to an hour) maybe that’s why there are so many 1 & 2 series recordings.
The stock recordings are very well done, except for a few with harsh ramping sequences, but you can edit the sequences until they are more comfortable for you.
If you’re not comfortable deciding which sessions are right for you, they have a session wizard which asks you some questions and then recommends sessions. Very handy.
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.