Following on from our discussion on the different types of brainwave frequencies and their impact on mental states, including mood and cognition, it naturally follows that we discuss how to leverage various frequencies for your benefit.
Binaural beats, a form of auditory “illusion” are a great way of leveraging different frequencies to impact brain state. Binaural beats refer to the brain convergence that occurs when we play two slightly different frequencies separately in each ear. The brain picks up on the difference between these two frequencies and “synchronises” by creating its own third frequency - a “binaural beat” - with brainwaves effectively converging to match the difference. For example, if you listen to a sound in your left ear at 100 Hertz and one of 110 Hertz in your right ear, instead of hearing two different tones, your brain perceives a tone of 10 Hertz (alongside the two other tones) - entraining to the difference.
Various binaural beats playlists have been created to leverage the associated effects of brainwave entrainment to various frequencies, offering an attractive, natural and non-invasive tool to support specific mental states.
Leveraging Delta: Second up in this series, we’re discussing Delta.
To refresh, Delta, at 1-4 Hertz, is the slowest of brainwaves, associated with the deepest stages of sleep and relaxation. Deep sleep is critical for feeling restored and refreshed, with various healing and restorative processes occurring during this stage. Delta waves begin to appear in stage 3 of the sleep-cycle, and by stage 4, the deepest stage, are the most dominant brainwave. Do not get Delta confused with Theta - whilst theta is also associated with sleep, it is associated with the lighter phases, such as REM sleep, and whilst something we can leverage Theta for different purposes (stay tuned for further posts in the series), it does not provide the same restorative benefits as does Delta.
When Delta waves dominate the brain, healing and regeneration occur. Processes such as autophagy - the clearing of debris from the brain - are stimulated at this stage, which is why good quality sleep is so important for cognition, mood and overall well-being and health. If you’ve ever woken up after a solid 7-hours + sleep but still haven’t felt rested and restored - the chances are you haven’t spent enough time in deep, Delta-wave sleep (heads up for any late night drinkers, whilst alcohol might initially make us feel lethargic, it actually disrupts our ability to enter Delta-wave, deep sleep - not quite the sleep aid many assume!).
That being said, as always, there’s always too much of a good thing - and timing is key. As Delta waves increase, our awareness of the world - and ability to consciously engage -decreases. Excessive delta waves whilst someone is awake - for example, during daytime hours - can make it very challenging to engage in and perform conscious tasks, and has been associated with learning difficulties, ADHD and other problems with focus and attention. Conversely, for people suffering from suppressed Delta waves in the evening, this can cause prevent entrance into deeper stages of sleep, impacting sleep quality and causing challenges in brain and body rejuvenation. Optimal Delta wave production, in the evening, is key to help us feel completely revitalised on waking, whilst also promoting overall health and wellbeing.
Unsurprisingly then, Delta are exactly what we want to foster at night time for a good night’s sleep, especially amongst the neurodivergent community (and wider population) who often experience trouble sleeping, exhaustion and burnout (and burnout is a subject in its own right - one for another time!). We can leverage binaural beats at Delta frequencies to help entrain our own brain waves to said frequency. Listening to Delta-specific binaural beats half an hour before bed may help your brain to produce more Delta-waves, supporting those deeper and restorative sleep stages.
We like the following Spotify tracks:
And the following Spotify playlist:
