binaural beats happen when you listen to two slightly different tones, one in each ear. your brain blends them and hears a third “phantom” beat, equal to the difference between the two. for example: if your left ear hears 200 hz and your right hears 206 hz, your brain perceives a 6 hz beat.
- deep sleep tone
- meditative drift
- calm focus
- active focus
- integration
why it matters
that beat lines up with natural brainwave rhythms. researchers have found that listening to these beats can nudge your brain into different states:
- delta (0.5–4 hz): deep sleep and body repair
- theta (4–7 hz): meditation, intuition, memory
- alpha (8–12 hz): calm focus, mood balance
- beta (13–30 hz): alertness, problem-solving
- gamma (30–100 hz): learning, integration, peak awareness
the science
studies show that binaural beats can support relaxation and stress reduction (frontiers in neuroscience, 2017)
a 2023 systematic review found mixed but promising effects on brain activity, mood, and cognition, and highlighted the need for more standardized research (pmc, 2023)
perception of beats depends on carrier frequency; the classic oster paper (1973) mapped how our ears detect them best (archive.org pdf)
how to use it
always use headphones. the effect will not work on speakers.
pick the state you want (sleep, focus, meditation) and press play.
volume should be low to moderate; loudness does not increase effectiveness.
sessions can be short (10–15 minutes) or longer, depending on your purpose.
simple takeaway
binaural beats are like a tuning fork for your mind: two tones in your ears, one rhythm in your brain.