How to Use Binaural Beats for Deeper Meditation

Certain sounds can transform your meditation practice and everyday life. They are usually free online. All you need is an internet-capable device and a compatible pair of headphones. These sounds are binaural beats; there is strong scientific evidence for their power.

To produce a binaural beat, sound engineers create distinct tones for the left and right ear. These play at the same volume with different frequencies. As a result, the brain senses a third frequency. This hallucinated wavelength equals the difference between the two sounds.¹

Depending on the internal wavelength, there are different effects. They can improve relaxation, sleep, imagination, focus, memory, and cognition.^{2 3} The benefits of binaural beats mirror mindfulness meditation. ^{4 5} Thus, binaural beats can deepen meditation practice and enhance quality of life. 

Alpha and Beta Binaural Beats: Relaxation and Focus

Combining mindfulness meditation and binaural beats yields a synchronous effect. The auditory stimulation eases transition into calm and contemplative states. Furthermore, meditation fosters theta and low alpha brain waves. These represent deep relaxation and concentration. A sound-induced frequency of 6 Hz increases the presence of these waves.⁶ Likewise, binaural beats help integrate different brain regions during practice.⁷

Different binaural frequencies have varying effects, amplified when the listener meditates. At 8–13 Hz, alpha waves incite relaxation.⁸ With mindfulness meditation, they can achieve a tranquil and gentle focus. The condition of alpha waves corresponds to lighter meditative states. 

Beta frequencies (13 to 30 Hz) are not as useful for mindfulness practices. Instead, they lead to sustained attention and a more alert mental state. They can also sharpen reasoning and analysis.⁹ As such, they can optimize productivity or speed up mentally exerting tasks. 

Theta and Delta Binaural Beats: Meditation and Deep Sleep

Theta waves (4–8 Hz) appear during meditation. Corresponding binaural beats can increase their presence. Although they might seem only useful to beginners, the benefit may increase with experience.¹⁰

Theta waves show up in the frontal and parietal-central brain regions. This indicates their amplifying effect on deeper attention processes compared to alpha waves. They alter perception, cognition, motor control, and other complex tasks. Also, theta frequencies appear from REM sleep and imagination.

Delta binaural beats (1-4 Hz) coorespond with deep, dreamless sleep. Their existence is rare during alert or awake states. Still, research demonstrates that they increase from Delta binaural beats. Delta frequencies can foster a trance-like state of deep relaxation.

Experienced meditators can remain conscious while producing delta waves. They elicit a profound and suspended experience of awareness during meditation. Many mindfulness practitioners aspire to this depths of mindfulness. Binaural beats can assist and amplify these possibilities.

Following the (Binaural) Beat

A decent pair of headphones can supply binaural beats for meditation practice. The more comfortable the better, especially for longer sessions and day-to-day use. Turn off any mono audio settings on the listening device. This ensures the frequencies in each ear remain distinct. Noise-cancelling features are useful, especially in loud or distracting settings. Noise isolation, especially with earbuds, makes it easier to hear and focus on the breath.

Alpha beats yield a soft focus ideal for most restorative meditations. For longer sessions and more experienced meditators, theta beats go deeper. Finally, delta binaural frequencies allow experienced practitioners to experience visionary, out-of-body state. That is, as long as they can stay awake!

Binaural Beats for Everyday Life

Like with most mindfulness tools, binaural beats are not relegated to formal practice. Beta entrainment can improve concentration and problem-solving with tasks and challenges. Alpha and theta frequencies could be productive for many imaginative, relaxing activities. Try them while walking, sipping tea, or reading a book.

Other applications of binaural beats demand further study. For example, individuals treated for addiction improved mood and treatment outcomes through binaural stimulation. This discovery highlights how many possibilities of neuro-acoustic technology are yet unexplored.

It’s clear: brain entrainment unlocks new potential for meditation practice and for life.

1. Hill, E., & Frederick, C. (2016). Physiological effects of binaural beats and meditative musical stimulation. New Prairie Press. https://newprairiepress.org/urjhs/vol15/iss1/11/. ↩︎
2. Goés, L. G. (2018). Binaural beats: brain wave induction and the use of binaural beats to induce brain wave patterns. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327265120_Binaural_beats_Brain_wave_induction_and_the_use_of_binaural_beats_to_induce_brain_wave_patterns. ↩︎
3. Gupta, A., Ramdinmawii, E., & Mittal, V. K. (2016). Significance of alpha brainwaves in meditation examined from the study of binaural beats: IEEE conference publication: IEEE Xplore. ieeexplore.ieee.org. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7980629. ↩︎
4. Wongsawat, Y. (2015). The observation of theta wave modulation on brain training by 5 Hz-binaural beat stimulation in seven days. Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26737822/. ↩︎
5. Axelsen, J. L., Kirk, U., & Staiano, W. (2020, January 11). On-the-spot binaural beats and mindfulness reduces the effect of mental fatigue. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-019-00162-3. ↩︎
6. Jirakittayakorn, N., & Wongsawat, Y. (2017, June 12). Brain responses to a 6-Hz binaural beat: effects on general theta rhythm and frontal midline theta activity. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2017.00365/full. ↩︎
7. Wongsawat, Y. (2015). The observation of theta wave modulation on brain training by 5 Hz-binaural beat stimulation in seven days. Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26737822/. ↩︎
8. Baseanu, I. C. C., Roman, N. A., Minzatanu, D., Manaila, A., Tuchel, V. I., Basalic, E. B., & Miclaus, R. S. (2024, June 28). The efficiency of binaural beats on anxiety and depression–a systematic review. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/13/5675. ↩︎
9. Thompson, J. W. (2023). A mixed-methods exploration of theta-infused binaural-beats meditation soundtracks and their impact on positive and negative affect, purpose, and depressed mood. ProQuest. https://www.proquest.com/openview/8c68994bfb3979f697e09a393d8ba110/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y.Yamsa-Ard, T., & ↩︎
10. Malekzadeh, D., Rahati, S., Kobravi , H., & Dadgarazad , M. (2017). Binaural beats effect on addicted people based on EEG. Scientific Quarterly Research on Addiction. فصلنامه علمی اعتیادپژوهی. https://etiadpajohi.ir/browse.php?a_id=1341&sid=1&slc_lang=en. ↩︎