A Short Introduction to Binaural Beats

By Dan Murphy

At one point or another, you may have read information regarding binaural beats and the benefits they can have on individuals, such as relaxation, enhanced learning, enhanced creativity, and stress relief. But where exactly did binaural beats come from, how are they used, and are they worth looking into?

Binaural beats are made when two varying auditory impulses, also regarded as "tones," are delivered to the left and the right ear at the same time. Each of these tones are different in frequency (cycles per second), with the difference between the two measured in Hertz (Hz), or cycles per second. Heinrich Wilhelm Dove was the first person to discover this phenomenon back in 1839.

For example, if you took a tone of 200 Hz and played it in the right ear, and a tone of 190 Hz and delivered it to the left ear, there is a difference between the two of 10 Hz. This 10 Hz would be perceived as a single binaural beat.

The most vital part to mention is that these are perceived by the brain, not actually "heard" as it may sound. These are just responses in areas of the brain stem which are delivered from the superior olivary nucleus of each brain hemisphere. What makes this so vital is that the "beats" that are created actually enable the two sides of the brain to sync with one another.

The Monroe Institute is an established organization that has heavily marketed this as a treatment method. Utilizing binaural beats has achieved such benefits including less need for pain medicine, quicker recuperation, stable blood pressure, and more. This was assessed by using this treatment in hospitals and other various areas of medicine. Because of this, usage of binaural beats has been verified over a large portion of people.

Three tapes were given out to disprove or prove this idea in 1999. This study, performed by Anesthesia, took individuals that were involved in a number of procedures, gave them a tape with a product called "Hemisync," a classical music recording, or a blank tape. Each of the subjects were also given a drug called fentanyl, which is typically used in the treatment of chronic pain. The individuals requiring less fentanyl were those not listening to the classical music recording, or the blank tape, but the subjects listening to the Hemisync tape.

Proving that the effectiveness of binaural beats can be measured truly helps this sometimes misunderstood method. "Hemispheric Synchronized Sounds and Intraoperative Anesthetic Requirements" was completed and truly helped the promotion by showing the world that binaural beats are a benefit to the individuals that listen to them.

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