Brainwave Synchronization

Have you ever heard of entrainment? Entrainment is when your brain's natural brainwaves are synchronized with a machine or device to produce different kinds of effects. It is a natural way of altering your brainwave patterns.

Our brains are entirely electrical. Whenever you see something, think something, or respond in any way to outside stimuli, your brain sends electronic signals back and forth between its neurons. This is referred to as a cortical-evoked response. These electrical brainwaves are the key to our consciousness. The impulses can be measured by devices that are attached to the scalp via electrodes.

The brain reacts in a particular way to rhythmic stimuli such as music. This is because the brain naturally functions in certain rhythms. These rhythms have been measured and studied by neurologists. There is a phenomenon called Frequency Following Response, where the brain synchronizes its electrical waves with the rhythm of an external stimulus. This phenomenon is important for researches an all different scientific fields.

Christian Huygens, a Dutch scientist in the 17th century, made an amazing discovery. He was conducting experiments with pendulum clocks. He discovered that if you put 2 pendulum clocks next to each other, swinging at different frequencies, they would eventually sync up to one another. In other words, two clocks that are not synchronized will eventually conform to one another, and swing together in time. This is an example of entrainment.

Here is another example. If you take a tuning fork that is tuned to a frequency of 500 Hertz, and bring it close to a second 500 Hertz fork which has not been struck, the second fork will begin to vibrate on its own accord. In this case, the first fork has entrained the second one.

Scientists have only recently discovered that brainwaves work in this way. However, human beings have known it since ancient times. During ceremonies or festivals that involve rhythmic dancing, participants become entrained by the rhythm. This works just like a modern day brainwave machine. They may not have known the science behind it, but they knew that it worked. Rituals and ceremonies involving rhythmic drumming and dancing have always been used to induce particular states of mind.

Why Entrain?

At this point, you may wonder why anyone would want to alter their brainwave frequencies. Why would you want to entrain your brain? Recent scientific evidence has found that entrainment can help sleep disorders. When you are in a relaxed state or sleeping, your brain operates on what are called Theta brainwaves. Through entrainment, one can induce a Theta brainwave state, and thus lead the individual toward relaxation.

It has been found that entraining those who have attention disorders like ADD with Beta brainwave frequencies helps them to concentrate. It has also been found that entrainment to Alpha brainwaves can help with meditation. The Alpha state is what we use when we are learning. It is a highly focused brainwave state where many function at their best mentally. This is also the state that one is in when they are hypnotized. Like hypnosis, entrainment to an Alpha brainwave state can help one to break bad habits or develop new good ones.

Right now, brainwave science is in its infancy. In recent years, there has been a boom in the consumer market for brainwave altering devices used for entertainment purposes. In the future, entrainment and brainwave alteration could lead to lots of exciting developments in health, psychology, education and many other fields. We may use entrainment to learn better, heal ourselves, help with mental problems and sleep disorders, and many other things. The potential is limitless.