The Weird Thing About Brainwave Entrainment
The obvious thing about Brainwave Entrainment that most people find weird is the idea that light can change the way your brain functions, but actually, it’s not a weird thing at all. Scientists have known that cells deep in the brain respond to light for the longest time.
The genuinely weird thing about Brainwave Entrainment is that it releases stress and anxiety from the nervous system. This undeniable fact (that so many Brainwave Entrainment clients experience) is so weird that, as yet, there is no scientific theory on how it happens.
The basic science behind Brainwave Entrainment is pretty straightforward. Emotional and mental states like anxiety, PTSD, depression, stress and happiness correlate with specific brainwaves. Brainwave Entrainment reduces the symptoms of conditions like anxiety and trauma by altering these brainwave frequencies. It does this by stimulating the brain cells with light. The scientific theory behind this is solid. And there has been a substantial amount of research into this way of creating change in the nervous system.
One of the key ways Brainwave Entrainment works on the brain is by ‘switching off’ over-activity in the amygdala. The amygdala is the brain centre responsible for our body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. By reducing amygdala activity, you can lessen the symptoms of conditions like anxiety and PTSD and depression. You can also help the brain access the type of deep meditation and trance states that people work towards in mindfulness and meditation practices.
When you reduce activity in the amygdala, something strange often happens to the person who is being treated. This strangeness can take the form of heat and sweat like a mild fever, extreme emotions or tiredness. Then, after these effects pass, the person generally reports feeling better than they have done in a very long time. All of which are highly suggestive of some kind of ‘stress release‘ from the central and autonomic nervous systems. Interestingly it is the people who go through these weird releases who report the most significant benefits from Brainwave Entrainment.
What we all know about exercise offers a window into how we can tap into all this ‘weirdness’. The nice thing about physical exercise is that you don’t need a degree in exercise physiology in order to receive the benefits. All you need to do is get on your bike and pedal. Yes we don’t know everything there is to know about how exercise affects the body. Brainwave Entrainment is a bit like that. Not perfectly understood but still practically highly effective.
When you reduce activity in the amygdala, something strange often happens to the person who is being treated. This strangeness can take the form of heat and sweat like a mild fever, extreme emotions or tiredness. Then, after these effects pass, the person generally reports feeling better than they have done in a very long time. All of which are highly suggestive of some kind of ‘stress release‘ from the central and autonomic nervous systems. Interestingly it is the people who go through these weird releases who report the most significant benefits from Brainwave Entrainment.
What we all know about exercise offers a window into how we can tap into all this ‘weirdness’. The nice thing about physical exercise is that you don’t need a degree in exercise physiology in order to receive the benefits. All you need to do is get on your bike and pedal. Yes we don’t know everything there is to know about how exercise affects the body. Brainwave Entrainment is a bit like that. Not perfectly understood but still practically highly effective.
We all know that stress builds up somehow. One year in a terrible job or relationship is intrinsically worse than one week in the same situation. This is because, on some level, all the stress and negativity ‘build up’. And although we all know this is a very significant part of what we go through, nobody really knows for sure exactly how it builds up. There is no doubt that our blood cortisol rises over time and that our sympathetic nervous system becomes persistently activated. Yet these are very cursory observations on something that is complex beyond our current understanding or even imagining.
These mysterious buildups of stress are a significant part of how we end up with diagnosable conditions like anxiety disorders, PTSD, depression and other mental health issues. At least in terms of simple observation, it is these buildups of stress in the brain, body and nervous system that Brainwave Entrainment appears to release. Sometimes it’s super relaxing; other times, it’s a little challenging, but when it happens, it always feels way better afterwards. At which point, everybody seems to agree that no matter what these buildups of stress are, it’s great when they’re gone.
We all know that stress builds up somehow. One year in a terrible job or relationship is intrinsically worse than one week in the same situation. This is because, on some level, all the stress and negativity ‘build up’. And although we all know this is a very significant part of what we go through, nobody really knows for sure exactly how it builds up. There is no doubt that our blood cortisol rises over time and that our sympathetic nervous system becomes persistently activated. Yet these are very cursory observations on something that is complex beyond our current understanding or even imagining.
These mysterious buildups of stress are a significant part of how we end up with diagnosable conditions like anxiety disorders, PTSD, depression and other mental health issues. At least in terms of simple observation, it is these buildups of stress in the brain, body and nervous system that Brainwave Entrainment appears to release. Sometimes it’s super relaxing; other times, it’s a little challenging, but when it happens, it always feels way better afterwards. At which point, everybody seems to agree that no matter what these buildups of stress are, it’s great when they’re gone.