Binaural Beats – More Focus, Better Concentration, Deep Relaxation

To the surprise of no one, science has shown that listening to music enhances exercise performance. Anyone who has had a manual labor job knows music helps you pass the time, and music can also enhance your performance for studying, writing, and working. There’s a specific type of music I use when writing – binaural beats.

What are binaural beats?

Binaural beats, or binaural tones, are auditory processing artifacts, or apparent sounds, caused by specific physical stimuli. The brain produces a phenomenon resulting in low-frequency pulsations in the amplitude and sound localization of a perceived sound when two tones at slightly different frequencies are presented separately, one to each of a subject’s ears, using stereo headphones.

No one really knows why binaural beats improve concentration and help you relax. Some claim it’s not that binaural beats boost performance on their own, but rather, they offer background “white noise,” which causes you to focus more via tuning out the white noise. I disagree.

Binaural beats impact mood directly. For example, I’m listening to “Cognition Enhancer For Clearer and Faster Thinking – Isochronic Tones (Electronic)” while writing this post. I feel more intense, as the beats are increasing adrenaline.

Some of the melodies remind you of the type of music you listen to at a spa, and are relaxing. Others are a more intense experience, and focus your attention on a high-intellect task.

Sometimes I do not want a rush, and listen to an “alpha waves” mix.

Indeed, many people are skeptical of binaural beats until they experiment with some. There are beats that will make you feel sick to your stomach. The music is powerful, it’s up to you to find the right waves / set / mix for yourself.

There are many YouTube channels with different binaural beats. Some of the sounds are several hours long. There are binaural beats with flutes, waterfalls, and frankly some – in a word, weird – sounds that change my brain waves and impact my thinking.

How do you listen to binaural beats?

For focus: If I am writing, I put on my headphones (you need good headphones to get the most out of binaural beats) and crank away for 2-4 hours.

• Pro tip: I also take 3 capsules of Gorilla Mind (Smooth).

For relaxation: Even though you need headphones for a peak experience, I’ll run some binaural beats as background sound (no head phones) when stressed or before bed.

What binaural beats are best to listen to?

This depends on the task you are about to perform. There are intense beats for writing and focus and there are meditative beats for relaxation, sleep, and healing.

You need to listen to a lot of different beats to find out what your body needs.

Some of these beats are intense, and listening to those types of binaural beats when you’re stressed can actually make you more stressed.

Take your time finding the right beat. I tend to give each beat around 5 minutes to see if it works, although you can sometimes tell right away if one is wrong for you.

Binaural beat for healing:

Binaural beat for focus:

Binaural beat for intense meditation:

Binaural beat for reflection/contemplation:

Your preferences may differ, however, as your brain may respond differently to certain frequencies than my brain. There’s even some evidence showing women perceive different wavelengths depending upon whether or not they are on their menstrual cycles.

What are the best YouTube channels for binaural beats?

That question will depend on your personal preferences. I personally listen and subscribe to these channels:

• NuMeditationMusic
• AudioEntrainment
• iGodMind Subliminal and Meditation Mind Movies
• Jason Lewis – MindAmend

There are several more channels to watch, but those three are especially good sources of binaural beats.

Try out some different beats with an open mind, and let me know how it goes.