Having read our ‘How it Works’ page, you’ve probably got a good idea of how binaural beats work, and tested the science for yourself using the sample provided and a pair of headphones. If you’re anything like us here in the ‘BBM lab’ (as we like to call it) you are probably itching to find out more on the history of binaural beats and the scientific evidence that led to the creation of today’s brain entrainment movement.
The short answer is no. Binaural beats are not dangerous for your health. There is no research that shows listening to this type of music affects your health in any way. The effect that is created in the brain as a result of listening to binaural beats occurs naturally, and is considered a type of auditory illusion, a false perception of a sound. Below we’ll discuss how this works and exactly what happens inside your brain when listening to these frequencies.
One question people often ask when researching binaural beats is whether or not there are side effects to using the recordings. And you can’t blame anyone for wondering, when you consider that brain entrainment changes brain state – even if it does so positively.
A study has shown that the use of binaural beats during surgery correlates with lower anxiety and reduced systolic blood pressure. The research was carried out on senior patients undergoing cataract surgery. Cataract surgery was chosen because the surgery is typically carried out with local anesthesia, and therefore patients will be awake during the procedure.
One area that binaural beats have been subject to numerous studies is for depression, anxiety, stress and conditions related to the inability to relax.
This particular study took place in 2007, with the goal of assessing the psychologic and physiologic effects of binaural beats. Carried out by the Helfgott Research Institute, each subject was given a CD containing delta (0-4 Hz) binaural beats to listen to daily for 60 days.
