Binaural beats are a popular sound technology proven to enhance relaxation, focus, sleep, and overall well-being. By playing two slightly different frequencies in each ear, the brain creates a third tone (at a specific frequency), known as a “binaural beat,” which can help guide your mental state.
But what if you wear hearing aids? Can you still enjoy the benefits of binaural beats with your hearing aids? The answer depends on the type of hearing aids you have, so let’s break it down.
What Are Binaural Beats?
Binaural beats work by playing two different sound frequencies to the left and right ears. For example, one ear might hear a 300 Hz tone, while the other hears a 310 Hz tone. Your brain processes this difference of 10 Hz as a “beat,” which can influence your brainwaves and affect your mental state, such as promoting relaxation or improving focus. 10 Hz is an Alpha state frequency.
To achieve the desired effect, your hearing needs to receive two separate frequencies, one in each ear. This is why stereo sound is essential for binaural beats.
If you would like to know more about how the process works we have an extended article here.
Do Hearing Aids Work with Binaural Beats?
The key factor here is whether your hearing aids are capable of receiving music and delivering stereo sound. If they are, then yes, you can use binaural beats just like anyone else with headphones.
However, not all hearing aids are the same, and some might only support mono sound (the same sound in both ears), which wouldn't create the necessary distinction between the two frequencies for binaural beats to work effectively.
Here’s a breakdown of how hearing aids can impact your binaural beat experience:
Stereo Hearing Aids
If your hearing aids are stereo-enabled, they will deliver different sounds to each ear. This means you can enjoy binaural beats just like you would with regular headphones. Many modern hearing aids, especially Bluetooth-enabled ones, support stereo sound, making them ideal for listening to binaural beats.
Mono Hearing Aids
Some hearing aids, particularly older models or basic designs, are mono (monaural). This means they deliver the same sound to both ears, so binaural beats won’t have the desired effect. If your hearing aids are mono, you will need to consider using external headphones or switching to a stereo-enabled hearing aid to enjoy the benefits of binaural beats.
Bluetooth Hearing Aids: Do You Need Additional Headphones?
If your hearing aids are stereo-enabled, you likely won't need additional headphones to experience binaural beats effectively. That being said, if you want better sound quality, you may want to purchase a good pair of headphones. The sound quality of your hearing aids may be very good for everyday sounds, but they are not specifically designed for music.
However, if you need your hearing aids to hear music, even when turned up loudly, you may need an amplification device to get the sound to a level that is sufficient for you to hear.
It’s important to note that binaural beats don’t need to be very loud to be effective. In fact, the frequencies don’t necessarily need to be audible at all, as long as the vibrations of sound are penetrating the ear.
For binaural beats to work, the sound needs to reach the inner ear, specifically the cochlea, which is responsible for processing the sound vibrations and converting them into neural signals. As long as these vibrations are reaching the cochlea, you can still benefit from the effects of binaural beats, even if the sound is not loud enough to be heard clearly.
If you are interested, we have a separate article on using binaural beats for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, available here.
In Summary
Yes, you can enjoy binaural beats with hearing aids, but the effectiveness depends on whether your hearing aids support stereo sound. If they do, you’re all set to go. If not, you might need to explore external headphones or consider upgrading to hearing aids with stereo functionality.
If you have a specific question, please feel free to leave it below in the comments section.
