Maybe you’ve seen claims about the benefits of binaural beats or maybe you’ve never even heard of them before. Can they actually improve your health or are they based on wishful thinking? This article explains what binaural beats are, it looks at the science behind them and how you can use these sounds to improve your health and quality of life.
What are binaural beats?
When someone is listening to binaural beats they are in fact listening to two different sine waves, one in each ear, with less than a 40 Hz difference between them. What happens then is that the brain tries to make sense of these sounds and perceives a third tone, an auditory illusion in fact. Binaural beats are in fact this third sound.
The fact that the brain tries to process the two different inputs changes the brainwaves, and this is known as entrainment. Entrainment is when the brain will synchronize its brainwaves with external stimuli, such as auditory ones. Based on this, researchers have tried to see whether applying various stimuli, such as binaural beats at different frequencies, can change the brain so as to enter specific states of consciousness. This is also relevant when it comes to health.
Binaural beats health benefits
There have been several studies carried out in order to see how binaural beats affect the human body. Some of these support the existence of various health benefits. Here is a list of them:
A stress coping strategy
Listening to binaural beats may help you deal with stress. In one randomized study [1], participants who only listened to pink sounds and carrier tones, as opposed to those listening to theta binaural beats added to the previous, had higher stress responses when exposed to a subsequent stressful event. Stress response was measured through heart rate variability (HRV) and answers to perceived stress scale. In other words, listening to binaural beats helped people respond better to an acute stressful situation.
The effect of having lower stress levels is supported by other research. For instance, military service members were asked to listen to binaural beats embedded in music or to music alone after deployment. Those who listened to binaural beats had decreased sympathetic responses and increased parasympathetic responses, as well as lower self-reported stress levels. The intervention took 30 minutes before bedtime for three consecutive nights a week during a total period of 4 weeks [2]. This relaxation effect can also be seen after a workout. Participants who listened to binaural beats had a higher self-reported level of relaxation, as well as increased parasympathetic activation [3].
If you want to learn more about ways to manage your stress, you can also check this post.
Sleep better
Sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, have been increasing in the last few years [4], with one third of adults having symptoms of insomnia [5]. Binaural beats claim to be a solution for better sleep, with videos on social media platforms being posted as a solution. However can they be effective in improving sleep? In one study where people with subclinical insomnia had to listen to 30 minutes of binaural beats, in one group, and simple music, in the other, results showed no significant improvements in sleep. However, the EEG analysis showed that the brain activity of those in the binaural beats group might indicate more daytime alertness, despite the subclinical insomnia [6].
In another study on young elite soccer players, listening to binaural beats lead to improved perceived sleep quality and post-sleep states [7]. An even better solution which might increase comfort is to combine binaural beats with ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response). In one study, this combination inducted brain signals required for sleep in participants, while at the same time maintaining a psychologically comfortable state [8].
Reduces anxiety
Research conducted on the effects of binaural beats shows that this type of intervention can be effective at lowering anxiety levels. For instance, one study focused on patients undergoing cataract surgery, typically done with local anesthesia. In this case, both binaural beats and simple music were able to lower anxiety levels and systolic blood pressure. Moreover, the group given binaural beats also had lower heart rates [9]. Lower anxiety levels are also the result of one other study on patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Patients listening to binaural beats had significantly lower anxiety levels before surgery compared to those only listening to music or not listening to anything at all [10].
The same was true for a series of patients admitted to the emergency ward – those listening to binaural beats, alongside other sound interventions had lower anxiety levels [11]. In yet another study looking at anxiety, the combination of psychiatric intervention and binaural beats was the only one able to reduce self-reported measures of anxiety, when compared to the simple psychiatric intervention or binaural beats groups [12]. Mind you, both patients diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and healthy participants were included. Still, not all studies reported improved anxiety. For instance, there was no improvement in the anxiety level in people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after listening to binaural beats [13].
Pain management
Research shows that binaural beats can also help people cope with pain. When participants in one research were given a moderately painful laser stimulation, exposure to binaural beats in the alpha range was tied to reporting lower pain levels than those not listening to these sounds [14]. When it comes to chronic pain, the results are equally promising. One study [15] included people between 26 and 69 years old with chronic pain. They all listened to a daily 20-minute segment of either theta binaural beats or a placebo tone for 14 days. The protocol was then reversed so that all participants listened to both the binaural beats and the placebo by the end of the experiment. Interestingly, even though both conditions could decrease the severity of the pain, the binaural beats were able to lower pain levels more than the placebo.
Irrespective of whether binaural beats affect pain perception, there is one other consequence that might be even more important – opioid consumption. Among older adults undergoing total knee joint replacement, those who had listened to binaural beats before the procedure consumed almost half the morphine needed by the control group [16]. Even better, other research results show lower levels of pain intensity, stress, and pain killer use in chronic pain patients [17]. Given the increasing problems posed by prescription opioids, such as addiction and death [18], having a medication-free and easy to use alternative seems like very good news.
Improving cognitive function
Rehabilitation training
Based on the fact that binaural beats were linked to improved learning from one session to another, this type of intervention might also be useful in contexts like rehabilitation training [21].
What else you should know
Age plays a part – The way your body reacts to binaural beats may differ based on your age. One study looked at the effectiveness of meditative binaural music on relaxation, comparing it to classical music that was classified as either low or high in emotional arousal. Researchers found that, for the young group (between 18 and 25 years-old), meditative binaural music was more calming than low arousal classical music. The older group (ages 50 to 80), on the other hand, found the classical music as most calming [22].
More research is needed – Many studies, although randomized experimental studies, are done on few people. Moreover, some studies do not necessarily show improvements when compared to other interventions. For example, in one study on women undergoing C-sections, listening during surgery to binaural beat meditation music led to less postoperative pain, compared to those listening to nothing. They also reported less anxiety, as well as better overall psychological wellbeing. However, listening to simple soothing meditation music had the same effect [23]. So it may be that, in some cases, just listening to a preferred or calming music of any type can have positive effects. In a similar vein, while binaural beats can improve certain areas of cognitive functioning such as faster attention processing, this does not mean it is the only auditory intervention that can achieve that. In one study, both binaural and monaural beats were able to support these findings [24].
How you do it matters – While listening to binaural beats is associated, according to several sources [25], to lower anxiety levels and lower levels of perceived pain, there are some things you need to consider. The first is when to listen to these stimuli. Based on previous research, exposure to binaural beats before, during and after an event is superior to just exposure during it. The second is duration. How long you listen to them matters as well, as longer periods of listening to binaural beats are tied to a higher effectiveness.
Remember to use headphones – Since binaural beats by definition have one frequency delivered to one ear and another frequency to the other, playing a binaural beats track (with or without added music) on an external speaker or on your computer will not be of any help. You will need either a pair of headphones or earbuds to be able to try binaural beats for yourself.
Consult with a medical professional – Since there are certain parameters that need to be adjusted, such as duration, frequency or volume when listening to binaural beats, you should ask your doctor whether this type of intervention might be appropriate or effective in your case if you are trying to target a health issue.
Where can I find binaural beats?
There are many websites claiming to provide their users with binaural beat compositions. Some are just for pleasure or relaxation, while others are meant to improve various conditions. However, not all are researched and it’s important to know what you are listening to. One organization offering binaural beats for health goals is Health Tunes, and you can read more about the circumstances in which people might benefit from their tracks from this UCLA health page.
CONCLUSION: Binaural beats may be a potentially easy and cost-effective solution to health issues such as anxiety, sleep disorders or pain management. As usual though, do your research first and find what is best for you.
Have you ever tried binaural beats? What was your experience with them?