Benefits of Sound & Music

Music has entrained people's brains for many thousands of years by using pulsed sound within the structure of music.

Meditation Music

The optimum tempo for meditation music is 40 - 60 beats per minute. This is important as research findings suggest that meditation music played at 60 beats per minute will help promote alpha waves on both the right and left sides of the brain. Music played at 60 beats per minute produced a favorable amount of alpha waves which facilitates in the feelings of calmness and relaxation. One reason for this is that the 60 beats per minute lowers the heart rate thus inducing a calming effect on the senses.

An alpha frequency (13Hz ~ 7Hz) as a general rule is associated with light relaxation, creativity and learning. Alpha frequencies enhance relaxation, visualization and creativity and decreases anxiety and stress. Theta frequencies (7Hz ~ 4Hz) in general are associated with deep relaxation as well as deep meditation, Theta has a role in learning and memory. Theta meditation enhances ones creativity and learning specifically memory, reduces stress levels and is also associated with intuition. Delta frequencies (4HZ ~ 0.2Hz) commonly are associated with sleep, regeneration and health. Delta waves activate the release of growth hormone, which has an important role in healing. Delta waves are also associated with detached awareness. The Beta range (27Hz ~ 13Hz.) is generally associated with active thought and the normal day to day conditions of alertness.

Music for Stress Relief and Relaxation Music

Music can have a positive effect on individuals by reducing stress and anxiety. Relaxation music generally does not have vocal recordings, but rather, simply applies music to aid in relaxation, health and healing. Music that has a tempo of 40 - 60 beats per minute is not only ideal for meditation and relaxation, it also helps in releasing stress, helps in creativity and is suitable for guided imagery. Relaxation music at 60 beats per minute can be played as background music whilst unwinding after a long day or when you need some inspiration or creative visualization. The 60 beats per minute will help promote alpha waves on both the right and left sides of the brain. The Alpha state is a state of profound relaxation. Alpha waves bring about a sense of peace and well-being. The Alpha state is most generally recommended in the treatment of stress and is another alternative for stress relief.

Music at 40 beats per minute can be played as background music as an aide to relaxation and meditation – to create a meditative atmosphere and is also ideal for positive affirmations.

The brain responds to a range of stimuli, the brain likes variety and healthy stimulation and as such an excess of any one stimulus is likely to cause displeasure, fatigue, annoyance and possibly boredom. As we are all individual our preference for the type and style of music will be individual - take note of the music you listen to and how it affects your emotional, mental, psychological and physical well-being - as the type of music one prefers to listen to influences how one feels.

Our world including the universe is a harmony of sounds... The earth's electromagnetic field has a resonant frequency of approximately 7.8 Hz this is termed the "Schumann Resonance" or the SR.

Music For Entraining The Brain & Super Learning

Sheila Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder's (1980) book Superlearning provided valuable insight to the notion that music can entrain. Music is used to facilitate induced states of consciousness that is conducive to heightening the learning process. Music of around 60 beats per minute was found to be useful to bring about an alpha state. They interpreted Lozanov's method of education, which was founded in Bulgaria to include synchronization. Lozanov believed that music could create a state of “relaxed alertness” or “psychorelaxation”, additionally body rhythms would adjust to the music rhythms and there was an increase in alpha brain waves and a decrease of Beta brainwaves along with a drop in blood pressure and a slowing of pulse rates during the passive concert sessions. The rationale for using music in the instruction process was the notion of whole brain learning. Lozanov (1978) considered, the interaction of both hemispheres of the brain, together with the neo-cortex produced a positive effect of retention rates of the learned materials. Research done by Claycomb (1978) offers support to this claim.

Health and Healing Power of music

Music has been linked to lower blood pressure, respiration rates and basal metabolism and various brainwave activity. Music has been known to increase the production of endorphins within the brain. Endorphins facilitate the promotion of pleasure, may reduce pain and infection, control heart rate and speed healing. Music is sometimes used in conjunction with other medical applications in drug and alcohol detoxification, with Alzheimer's patients, and also as another natural therapy to those with learning disabilities. Music has been used within the therapeutic framework, music therapy is sometimes used with temporarily and chronically ill persons, injured persons, and the dying. Also music may boost the immune system as the mind and body often responds positively to music.

Goldman & Gurin's (1993) work on immunology, more specifically psycho-immunology, proposes that within every organ of the immune system there are nerve fibers that biologically communicate between the nerve endings and the immune system. They further propose that there is a direct link between an individual's thoughts, emotions, attitudes, perceptions, and of course the health of the immune system (Mind Body Medicine, 1993). As music can have a positive effect on the senses, music is another therapeutic tool to help individuals be active in the health of their mind, body and spirit.

Stress Relief & Pain Management

Music is sometimes classified as a relaxation therapy, however music may create a "psycho-physiologic" response and when used within a therapeutic framework can positively stimulate four areas of human functioning - cognitive, physical, psychological and social.

When music is used for relaxation a "psycho-physiologic" response occurs, specifically as an individual shifts to altered states of consciousness. As such, abstract thinking is slowed even though the person is still within the normal waking state. Additionally, the individual may even move through to other states of consciousness such as daydreaming, meditative or trance etc. Therefore, as an individual shifts states, this may help him/her reduce feelings of stress, fear, pain or anxiety. Scientific studies have provided evidence that music may help to reduce stress, anxiety and alleviate pain and provide an overall increase in feelings of well being.

More on stress and anxiety

CD's recorded at 40 beats per minute even Without Brainwave Entrainment, please do not use whilst driving or operating machinery or at any time that you require full alertness or require a fully awakened state.

The information provided is for general purposes only, please seek appropriate medical advice/help for your condition.

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