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.
delta wave music | binaural beat
Music therapy is not new; but it is now enjoying popularity with a lot of people, particularly those who are suffering from various health conditions or illnesses, turning their hopes into it – along with traditional cure. It brings so much positive improvements into their lives that it is also thought to be one type of alternative cancer treatment.
Based on investigators from the University of Rochester Medical Center, cancer patients who have experienced bone marrow transplant and took part in music therapy confessed that they suffer less from soreness and nausea. Moreover, it effectively increases the time for the new marrow to commence producing blood cells. Before the music therapy, these affected people graded their experience to pain and nausea as “severe”. After the session, they ranked them as “moderate”. This study then is a considerable proof that music therapy can be a good form of alternative cancer cure.
Another research has established that music with strong tempo has the capacity to fuel brainwaves so it echoes in tune with the beat. Rapid beats cause sharper concentration and more alert thinking. Alternatively, a slower beat brings the listener to a quiet, meditative state. Likewise, slower music leads to slower breathing and heart rate. It is for these reasons that music has been found out to overcome chronic stress because it promotes relaxation. With relaxed mind comes a more optimistic mind, which again, prevents depression and anxiety. Patients start to become positive in their outlook in life. They are not anymore the slave of their health problem.
Other health benefits of music therapy are reducing blood pressure, alleviating muscle tension, bettering immunity and others. Doctors, who supervise their patients’ treatment plan, may easily give them a go signal to undergo music therapy because this will not hurt their program. Particularly, it has no capacity to negatively impact the medicines they take. In fact, as listed above, it provides several positive aspects to cancer patients.
Healthcare facilities that offer alternative cancer treatment have music therapists to deal with patients. Similar to other nurse practitioners, they design treatment plans with set goals and objectives and more critical, specific therapy methods to use. Treatments are designed to motivate wellness, boost physical functioning, enhance communication, cope with stress, enhance memory and alleviate pain. Likewise, they are designed to deliver distinctive opportunities for interaction. These are after they have studied the strengths, as well as the needs of the patients. Music therapists use both vocal and instrumental music. If necessary, they also compose music together with their clients and offer instrument instruction.
Other than cancer, music therapy also works well with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Parkinson’s disease, tinnitus, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, insomnia, autism and anxiety. Moreover, it is now greatly accepted in the general medical community. The number of hospitals and similar institutions offering this type of therapy method that is also considered as alternative cancer treatment is growing. It is easy to find them. Just request referrals or search online.
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.