***** DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. I AM A WELL READ, CURIOUS PERSON WHO IS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE FOUND THINGS THAT WORK FOR ME AND BENEFIT MY OVERALL HEALTH. I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR OWN HEALTH. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE USELESS, BUT I DO BELIEVE AMERICANS HAVE BECOME TOO DEPENDENT ON THEM. EVERYBODY NEEDS HELP AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THEIR LIVES, HOWEVER. SO, IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OR ANY OTHER MENTAL ISSUE, PLEASE GO TALK TO SOMEBODY. THERE’S NO SHAME IN DOING WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU!!! *****
Everything in the universe can be boiled down to waves, frequencies, vibrations, and energy. Sound like a bunch of “hippie-dippie” BS? Don’t take my word for it. As you can see from the quote above, a man named Albert Einstein believed in the healing nature of frequency. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb when I say that man was a tad smarter than you. Let’s look at how certain frequencies can be conducive to meditation and thus benefit your mental state.
This is a follow-up to my piece about music from the other day. That article explained the healing benefits of music. This article will dive into the importance of sound and frequency and its relationship with meditation. I began meditating about 10 years ago. I can recall not knowing where to start. So, I did what any red-blooded American would do in a case like that: I went to the Internet for answers (duh)! I found guided meditations on YouTube and thus began my meditation journey.
The guided meditation videos that I found online were extremely helpful at the beginning of my journey, and I’ll still use them from time to time. I discovered something else while browsing through YouTube’s guided meditation videos: binaural beats. Some of you may be saying to yourself: “What in the hell is a binaural beat?!?!” A binaural beat is an illusion created by the brain when you listen to two tones with slightly different frequencies at the same time1.
Our brains create waves, and certain frequencies can assist our brains in creating these waves. Yes, it is possible to trick & manipulate your own mind! For a much more aggressive (albeit effective) approach on how you can manipulate your own mind, please see the YouTube video below. It features a personal idol of mine, David Goggins, speaking on the importance of controlling your own mind. Now, there are five different types of brainwaves:
Delta: 1-4 Hz. Delta is the lowest frequency state, and it’s linked to:
Deep sleep
Healing and pain relief
Anti-aging: cortisol reduction/DHEA increase
Access to the unconscious mind
Theta: 4-8 Hz. Theta binaural beats benefits include:
Meditation
Deep relaxation
Creativity
Alpha: 8-14 Hz. When you are in an alpha state of mind, your brain is focused and productive. Alpha brain waves help you to:
Relax and focus
Reduce Stress
Maintain positive thinking
Increase your learning capabilities
Easily engage in activities and the environment because you are in a state of flow
Beta: 14-30 Hz. Beta is a higher frequency brainwave and helps in:
Keeping your attention focused
Analytical thinking and solving problems
Stimulating energy and action
High-level cognition
Gamma: 30-100 Hz. With a higher frequency than beta, these brain waves help in:
· Increased cognitive enhancement
· Attention to detail, helping in memory recall
· A different way of thinking, which is a sign of creativity
As you can see, meditation is a benefit of lower frequencies. For me, the delta & theta frequencies really help to silence the voice in my head so that I can focus on my breathing and drift off into an altered state of consciousness. I would be remiss if I didn’t have something to say for those people out there thinking, “You have a voice in your head?!?! You must be crazy!” Please grow up. Every human being on this planet has an inner monologue. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that you are using that inner monologue to read this article. Some are more active than others, absolutely. If somebody implies that they do not have an inner monologue, I will have to question their humanity.
This was meant to be a quick piece to educate you about binaural beats and to share some of their benefits. Personally, I use them most to battle insomnia and to focus. If I’m tossing and turning, I’ll normally reach for my headphones and smartphone and lookup “sleep frequency.” Most of the hits I get on YouTube are 6-8 hour videos designed to help you fall asleep with the video still playing. I suggest placing your phone facedown or investing in a sleep mask so that the light from your screen doesn’t disrupt the darkness needed to fall asleep. I will also use them as a preemptive measure on those rare nights when I prepare for sleep by meditating first (something I’m working on doing more of). Typing “focus frequency” into YouTube will give you hits that help you complete your “to do” list!
If you’re struggling with negative mental health symptoms, I suggest investing some time into this holistic approach. Binaural beats are cautioned for adults who may have heart issues or epilepsy. So, checking in with your medical physician is a good idea before trying any holistic approach2. Another holistic approach in this same realm is hypnosis. A couple friends of mine in Ft. Walton Beach operate an incredible hypnosis/life-coaching business called DCC Hypnosis. They recently started a podcast as well! Check out their latest episode below & be sure to subscribe. Have a healthy & productive day and keep it Bay Flavor buddies!
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