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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We seem to be living in a time in which the interest in alternative types of health care and healing modalities is at an all-time high. The population in general, and the baby boomers in particular, are increasingly interested in finding ways to look better and feel better for as long as possible.
One alternative health care approach that has been getting more and more attention is called EEG neurofeedback. This is also called biofeedback therapy and it involves training your brainwave activity as a way of improving and controlling many different conditions.
Many people state that the greatest draw to this type of therapy is the fact that it is holistic and completely non-invasive. In addition, there are not any significant negative side effects that have been reported in the more than 40 years since it was first introduced. There are, however, many very positive “side effects” that people who use biofeedback will point to and are eager to talk about because of the benefits that they have experienced.
EEG neurofeedback is a rather specific form of biofeedback therapy and it necessitates the use of a sophisticated biofeedback machine to register the biometric information of the person. From that input, which is based on the person’s brainwave patterns, biofeedback software interprets the signals and provides a display of the patterns which can be used to help the person learn to control their brain activity.
The primary purpose of this type of program is simply to give feedback about what the client’s brainwaves are doing and how the brainwave patterns influence the various physiological systems within the person. The neurofeedback information that is provided through biofeedback therapy sessions is based on the recording of the brainwave activity and the subsequent automatic analysis of the brain’s electrical activity.
EEG neurofeedback is the most traditional form of the various types of neurotherapy that is available. It was originally developed through university studies in laboratories and in recent years has started to become increasingly available in mainstream holistic practices. It is more and more in demand with each passing year as people learn more about the benefits of biofeedback therapy.
One of the most important uses of EEG neurofeedback is in its application to improve impulsivity, which is generally considered to be a precursor to violent behavior. In addition, biofeedback neurofeedback provides a great deal of support to cognitive interventions and can significantly enhance the success rate in treatment programs.
The implementation of one of the forms of biofeedback is very much like the implementation of an exercise routine. Therefore, the more a person exercises, the more benefits are realized from the endeavor.
This type of feedback can be used to treat a wide array of conditions and disabilities in which the brain is not functioning at its most optimal level. Common conditions of this are exhibited in cases of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), specific learning disabilities, in many forms of severe conduct problems, and related issues such as sleep problems, teeth grinding, chronic pain, frequent headaches and migraines.
Biofeedback treatments are also considered to be a viable, drug-free alternative that can remediate both ADD/ADHD and other developmental disorders. However, EEG neurofeedback is not a “treatment” in the most classical sense of the term. It is actually a training program that requires involvement of biofeedback therapists and active participation from the person who is seeking the benefits of a biofeedback program.
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.