We, as a society, are suffering from stress burnout. Constantly we are being hit with another thing to worry about, and another stress in our lives – Gas prices are too high, the kids need braces, and boss just gave the job you wanted to an outsider. There comes a time that we feel if we don’t let it all out – we will explode!
Many people try the traditional ways to reduce stress, which include changing your diet; exercising more; and trying to cut down on the amount of activities that cause stress. Some turn to drinking, and others turn inward – to meditation or “binaural beats.â€
It’s not always feasible to cut our activities. Changing our diets and exercising is always good, in any situation. But, if we don’t want to go down the drinking road our best way to distress is to find the best way to decompress.
This is where binaural beats come in, and you don’t have to make any drastic changes in your life.
What are binaural beats?
Binaural beats, quite simply, are audio sounds that are played at a slightly different tone for each ear (binaural means “both earsâ€). The two low frequencies synchronize in the brain to form a “beat.†You can produce beats by playing two different pure tones through loudspeakers, but the best way to get the effect is through stereo headphones.. The result is a calming effect that comes over you as you sink deeper into relaxation.
Some call binaural beats a holistic substitute for anti-depressant drugs. The beats allows your mind to de-clutter and awaken your creativity as well as boost your memory and mood.
History
Heinrich Wilhelm Dove discovered binaural beats in 1839, but remained a “scientific curiosity†until 1973 when Gerald Oster published an article (Auditory Beats in the Brain) in the Scientific American Magazine.
In the late 20th century people were claiming that binaural beats “could help induce relaxation, meditation, creativity and other desirable mental states.â€
Oster saw binaural beats as an extremely useful tool in the diagnosis of hearing impairment, neurological conditions and even for measuring levels of estrogen in women. Since then researchers have found hundreds of different uses for the “beats†technique.
How can binaural beats be used?
Beats have been documented to relate to both how you deal with the things around you (special perception), how you understand what you hear (stereo auditory recognition), and how various parts of the brain interprets those signals. Binaural beat stimulation has been used fairly extensively to bring about a variety of states of consciousness, and there has been some work done in regards to the effects of these stimuli on relaxation, focus, attention, and states of consciousness.
The technique has been successfully used in the treatment of alcoholism and other addictions. Therapists use it in biofeedback, for the treatment of sleep deprivation problems and phobias, just to name a few. Some hospitals even use beats to lessen the fears of patients going into surgery.
Research has found that the use of binaural beats not only helps in self-hypnosis and relaxation techniques, it can improve mental focus and concentration, aiding in students getting better grades and adults to increase their memory capacity.
Instead of trying to figure out how to rearrange your life around a stress reducing system recommended by some expert, you could be using binaural beats – it can be found free online, and works quicker than many other meditation programs.
Resources:
Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_beats
Binaural Beats – http://www.i-dose.us/
Binaural Journeys – video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLieLAAulo8&feature=related ; website: http://binauraljourneys.com
Binaural Beats: Digital Drugs by Brian Dunning – http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4147
Mind Control Binaural by Aaron Foreman – http://binauralbeats.org/
Headphones, two ears, not really beats but sound waves,