So you may have heard information regarding binaural beats and the benefits they can offer individuals, such as relaxation, better learning, creativity, and lucid dreaming. But where exactly did binaural beats come from, what are they, and are they effective?
In the year 1839, a man by the name of Heinrich Wilhelm Dove discovered the curious phenomenon of binaural beats. When two different auditory impulses ("tones") are played in both ears at the same time but differ slightly in frequency, the difference in the Hz (hertz, or cycles per second) will be presented as what is referred to as a "binaural beat."
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As an example, If you took a tone of 200 Hz and played it in the right ear, and a tone of 190 Hz and played it in the left ear, there is a difference of 10 Hz. This 10 Hz would be perceived as the "beat."
The important part to note is that these are perceived by the brain, not actually "heard" as you may think. These are actually responses in parts of the brain stem which come from the superior olivary nucleus of each brain hemisphere. What makes this so important, is that the "beats" that are created actually cause the two hemispheres of the brain to synchronize with one another.
These beats are not just used for individuals and have been used on a larger scale. One organization, The Monroe Institute, heavily markets this type of treatment, which has been utilized in hospitals and other areas. Many benefits have been achieved from utilizing the binaural methods, including less need for pain medicine, quicker recuperation, stabilized blood pressure, and more.
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Proving this concept, a study was done in 1999 by Anesthesia that did a trial using binaural beats. Three tapes were given to subjects: one with classical music, one with a blank tape and another with a product called "Hemisync." What was found is that the users using Hemisync, required much less fentanyl (which is used to treat chronic breakthrough pain, or chronic pain) when compared to the subjects using the blank tape or the tape with classical music. These subjects were a very diverse group, undergoing a varying number of procedures.
The study that was completed, "Hemispheric Synchronized Sounds and Intraoperative Anesthetic Requirements," should help in promoting that not only are binaural beats beneficial, but their effectiveness can be proven and measured.
