Do Binaural Beats ACTUALLY Work? This Is For The Skeptics

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🌙 Written by Stefan Zugor, international lucid dreaming expert and teacher. Learn how to lucid dream in 7 days or less.

Have you heard about the phenomenon of binaural beats (like these)? This auditory illusion happens when two different pure-tone sine waves, which both possess frequencies lower than 1500 Hz.

For the illusion to be successful, there needs to be a difference of less than 40 Hz between the sound waves, and they need to be heard by the listener dichotically (that means with one sound wave transmitted through each ear).

When this occurs successfully, the listener will report hearing a third tone, and that tone is the auditory illusion we call a binaural beat. Often the listener will hear the sound at a pitch of whatever the different between the two sound waves they hear is, so if the difference between the two sound waves is 10 Hz, then the binaural beat will be at a perceived pitch of 10 Hz also.

Binaural beats were first discovered in 1839, by German scientist Heinrich Dove. They’ve been an incredibly popular type of entertainment ever since, for those studying the miracles of the human brain and what it can do!

 

How we hear binaural beats

The formation of binaural beats happens in our midbrain, where our brains typically process auditory signals. The signals from our ears are integrated here, before moving as electrical impulses along neural pathways into our auditory cortex.

Uses of binaural beats

Binaural beats have many uses. Often musicians use these inferred beats when checking tuning of instruments.

Piano and organ tuners are particularly known for using binaural beats. One composer, Alvin Lucier, is known for writing pieces of music which utilise binaural beats.

Giacinto Scelsi is another composer, from Germany, who has spent time exploring the phenomenon of binaural beats in his own work. And if you’re interested in hearing more of these intriguing pieces of music, make sure you check out composer Phill Niblock, whose music is completely based around this principle.

How binaural beats can be used for lucid dreaming

Binaural beats are great for lucid dreaming for many reasons. One of the main uses of binaural beats is based on their ability to lull us into a state of total relaxation. Binaural beats are hugely important in meditation.

Binaural beats

They can effectively trick our minds into entering a meditative state, and this can happen very quickly when we’re listening to binaural beats. If you’re using binaural beats to reach a meditative state, you won’t need to spend a lot of time focusing your mind. In fact, it’s very easy. You just need to calm down, relax and sit quietly, waiting for the effect of the auditory illusion to take hold.

The link between binaural beats and brain waves

We know that one of the most important brain waves in lucid dreaming is the Theta brain wave. This is a brain wave which operates at an incredibly low frequency, when we’re in a state of deep relaxation. It makes sense, therefore, that playing a sound of this frequency to a human being could instigate the Theta brain wave state. But, there’s a catch.

The human ear alone cannot detect a sound with a frequency as low as this. So, if we create a low frequency auditory illusion through the use of binaural beats, we effectively enable a human to hear a sound at a much lower frequency than they ordinarily would be able to.

If you want to try this effect at home, make sure you’re wearing headphones, because the sound is produced entirely within your brain and you won’t want to be distracted by any external noises during this time.

How can binaural beats affect human beings?

Binaural beats are such a huge area of study because they can have varied and powerful effects on a human body. The first, and most important, effect is that of relaxation. Binaural beats are known to be a powerful tool in those wanting to relax and enter the meditative state. That’s why they’re crucial to those hoping to experience the wonder of lucid dreams.

Swirly dream

The other effects of binaural beats include an increased ability to focus on your innermost thoughts and feelings, becoming more in tune with your subconscious. When you’re in this state you might find yourself increasingly able to see various different colours, patterns and shapes dancing about before your eyes.

You can also experience something called ‘audial hypnagogia’, which means you’ll be able to hear voices or parts of conversations which are happening around you, but you won’t be fully conscious and listening to them properly, like you would when you are fully awake and alert.

Binaural beats can promote altered states of consciousness, for example out-of-body experiences where you find yourself seeming to float above your own body. You can also find yourself conscious while you’re dreaming, a state which is remarkably similar to lucid dreaming itself.

Try binaural beats for yourself

If you’re interested in trying out binaural beats, there are plenty of free resources you can access which will enable you to do so.

You simply need a pair of good quality headphones, and a calm environment where you can relax, then you’re ready to go. You can access plenty of binaural beats examples via YouTube. There are also other free resources where you can download binaural beats to play yourself.

Binaural beats and lucid dreaming

Binaural beats are highly recommended for lucid dreaming, simply because they enable a human being to access the brain state which is best for lucid dreams.

It makes sense that when you listen to binaural beats you immediately take your brain into a trance-like state, and it’s exactly this state which is best for experiencing lucid dreams. So, binaural beats are a fantastic resource for those looking to experience the magical world of lucid dreaming.

In the trance-like meditative state created by lucid dreams, your brain wave activity will be at its slowest. You’ll be experiencing the wonder of Theta brain waves, which you would normally only become aware of when you’re just going to sleep, or just waking up. When you’re in this state you can tap into your subconscious, an important skill which will enable you to learn so much more about yourself.

Many people never truly understand their inner-most thoughts and desires, but when you try binaural beats you might just be able to. And from there, you’ll be well on your way to harnessing the power of your own brain. You could achieve so much more than you ever thought possible, it’s just a case of learning how.

Ready to give it a try?

Are you ready to tap into your true potential? Lucid dreams could hold the answers you desire. When you try lucid dreaming, your possibilities become endless.

You can do absolutely anything you want to! Just imagine what you might like to do… you could try flying, you could explore an amazing new world created by your own mind, or you could spend the night skydiving! And it won’t cost you a penny!

We recommend you get started by listening to some binaural beats and trying to relax. Then see where your trance-like, meditative state takes you. The results you experience could really surprise you. Or if you’re looking for something unique and INSTANT, try BlissCoded Sound. Trust me..

IMPORTANT: If you’re interested in learning more about binaural beat and how they work, read our list of the best binaural beats ever and pick one you like the look of. Then learn how to use them and start practicing!

Popular binaural beats

There are some common binaural beats you might want to consider. I’ve listed the most common ones here, you can either go to their website in a new tab, or read my review of them if I’ve written one: 

  1. Binaural Beats Meditation (or read our review of them)
  2. Ennora (Or read our review)
  3. Iawake Technologies
  4. Unexplainable store (read our review of them here)
  5. Holosync (Or read our review!)
  6. HemiSync binaural beats
  7. BlissCoded Sound (or read our review of them)
  8. MP3 meditation club
  9. Deep zen meditation

More about binaural beats

I’ve written a few guides on how to use these, and how they can benefit you: