Binaural Beats: Digital Drugs
The science behind binaural beats: What they are, what they are claimed to do, and what they can actually do.
Filed under Alternative Medicine, Consumer Ripoffs
| Skeptoid #147 March 31, 2009 Podcast transcript | Listen | Subscribe |
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Today we're going to put on our headphones, kick back in the beanbag, and get mellow to the soothing sounds of the latest digital drug: binaural beats. These computer generated sound files are said to massage your brain and produce all sorts of effects, everything from psychedelic experiences to behavior modification. Let's point our skeptical eye at the science of binaural beats, and especially at some of the claims made for them.
First of all, I'm sure you're curious right off the bat to hear what binaural beats sound like, so let's take a listen:
A binaureal beat is created by playing a different tone in each ear, and the interference pattern between the slightly differing frequencies creates the illusion of a beat. It's intended to be heard through headphones, so there's no cross-channel bleed across both ears. Listen to this, I'll play a simple binaural beat, and I'll slide the pan control back and forth from one ear to the other. You can see that there isn't actually any beat, it's just an acoustic illusion:
If you search the Internet for "binaural beats" you'll quickly find there's a whole industry built on the idea that listening to binaural beats can produce all kinds of desired effects in your brain. It can alter your mood, help you follow a diet or stop smoking, get you pumped up for a competition, calm you down, put you to sleep, enhance your memory, act as an aphrodisiac, cure headaches, and even balance your chakra. Binaural-Beats.com offers a $30 CD that they call the world's first "digital drug". They claim it can get you drunk without the side effects. I-Doser.com offers a range of music tracks that they say simulates a variety of actual pharmaceuticals, such as Demerol, Oxycontin, and Vicodin. Suffice it to say that no matter what superpower you're looking for, someone on the Internet sells a binaural beat audio file claimed to provide it.
You don't have to buy one, though. It's not too hard to make your own binaural beat, and free software is widely available to do just that. The one that I used to make that little sample is an open-source program called Gnaural, available on the Sourceforge web site. It's pretty easy to use, though it takes some practice before you can generate some of the really cool, more professional sounding beats. A binaural beat consists of two simple tones, and most people add that background pink noise. Nothing special.
But the question is: Does it have a special effect on the brain? A lot of people think so. The basic claim being made for binaural beats is "resonant entrainment". Entrainment, in physics, is when two systems which oscillate at different frequencies independently are brought together, they synchronize with one another, at whatever the combined system's resonant frequency is. Examples of entrainment occur in animals in nature; for example the chirping of crickets or the croaking of frogs. Synchronization of menstrual cycles in women is another example. Even people coming together and dancing with one another is a type of entrainment. The basic claim for binaural beats is that the perceived low-frequency beat will entrain your brain wave pattern, thus forcing your brain into some desired state.
Most of these web sites give some brief explanation of entrainment. The example you hear most often is that of Dutch polymath Christiaan Huygens, who in 1665, hung two pendulum clocks next to each other on a wall. He noticed that the pendulums eventually matched each others' frequency, but always in antiphase, opposite to each other, as if canceling each other out. He'd try disturbing one or setting them in sync, but they'd always return to the same antiphase synchronization. Huygen's experience is widely touted on binaural beat websites as a demonstration of how systems can become spiritually connected through some energy field. However, they misunderstand what happened, and have not read the full story. Huygens also tried taking one clock off the wall, and as soon as they were no longer physically connected to one another via the actual wall, the effect disappeared. It was not the proximity of the clocks to one another that created the entrainment; it was their physical, mechanical connection to one another. As each pendulum swung it imparted an infinitesimal equal and opposite reaction to the wall itself. With two clocks on the wall, the system naturally sought the lowest energy level, according to the laws of thermodynamics; and both pendulums would thus swing exactly counter to each other, minimizing the system's total energy.
So to summarize their claim, they're saying that entrainment means that a binaural beat will cause your brain's electroencephalogram to match the pattern of the phantom beat. Well, if it did, entrainment certainly doesn't apply and would not be part of the equation, so we can scratch that off the list. But it doesn't make the claimed observation wrong. We do know that certain electroencephalogram waveforms are often associated with certain kinds of activity. For example, physical activity or REM sleep often produces an electroencephalogram with a sine wave of between 4 and 8 Hz, which we term a theta pattern. Waking relaxation with eyes closed often produces a pattern from 8 to 12 Hz, which is called an alpha pattern. There are only a few characterized patterns, and pretty general descriptions of what kinds of activities go with them. The claim made by the binaural beat sellers depends on much more granular and specific matches. For example, the claim that a binaural beat with a frequency of X produces the same effect in your brain as Vicodin is wholly implausible. Such claims presume that we know the exact frequency of the electroencephalogram in each of these desired conditions, and the fact is that brain waves don't work that way. It is wholly and absolutely implausible to say that desired brain condition X will occur if we get your EEG to read exactly X Hz.
Not only that, binaural beats presume that brain waves work in the opposite way that they do. Certain brain states produce certain brain waves; brain waves don't produce brain states. You just don't turn a dial to 6.5 Hz and induce instant happiness.
And so, while the claimed science behind binaural beats is unfounded, this doesn't mean that the effect isn't real and simply unexplained. Maybe you can listen to a certain binaural beat and induce a desired state, but for reasons we don't yet understand. So let's take a look at the research, and see if such an effect has actually been observed.
A 2008 study at Hofstra University played two different binaural beats and a control sound (a babbling brook) to patients with high blood pressure. There was no difference between the groups. In one small study from Japan that was published in the Journal of Neurophysiology in 2006, they played various binaural beats to nine subjects, and observed the resulting EEGs. They found great variability in the results. Their conclusion was that listening to binaural beats can produce activity on the human cerebral cortex, however the cause was more likely a conscious auditory reaction and was not correlated to the frequency of the binaural beat. However, a 2005 study published in Clinical Neurophysiology found that they were able to induce a desired frequency in the EEG matching the phantom beat frequency encoded in a binaural beat, however this was with a single subject and was neither blinded nor controlled.
But we don't need any studies to tell us that different people can listen to different kinds of music and be affected. A lot of people who work out have a workout playlist on their iPod that keeps them energized. Some people listen to certain music to help them fall asleep. The Muzak company has built an industry on relaxing music that will keep people in the mood to shop. Music does affect our mood, and so we already have every reason to expect binaural beat recordings to produce the same effect. Different people may find certain binaural beats to be relaxing or energizing. But, we've never found any reliable indication that a binaural beat's connection to our brain is any deeper or more meaningful than any other music track. We do know for a reasonable certainty that specific claims made by most sellers of binaural beats are not credible, and that there is no reason to think that the effect they're claimed to produce will work for you.
Well, except for one reason: The power of suggestion. If I give you a music track and tell you that it will cure your headache, you're more likely to report that it cured your headache than you are to say "Well it didn't effect my headache, but it made my short-term memory better." An interesting experiment would be to buy a binaural track claimed to induce drunkenness, for example; play it for five friends without telling them the claim, and then ask how it made each of them feel. Give them multiple choices to select from. Chances are they're going to respond all over the map. If you have a friend who is a believer in binaural beats, I suggest going ahead and setting up this little test.
So, in summary, binaural beats certainly do not work the way the sellers claim, but there's no reason to think they're any less effective than any other music track you might listen to that effects you in a way you like. If they make you sleepy (like they all do for me), use them to go to sleep. If they relax you or get you amped, use them for that. But don't expect them to be any more effective than regular music. If someone you know claims that they are, put them to the test, and bust the myth.
You should follow me on twitter here.
© 2009 Skeptoid Media, Inc. Copyright information
References & Further Reading
Carter, C. "Healthcare performance and the effects of the binaural beats on human blood pressure and heart rate." Journal of Hospital Marketing and Public Relations. 1 Aug. 2008, Volume 18, Number 2: 213-219.
Karino, S., Yumoto, M., Itoh, K., Uno, A., Yamakawa, K., Sekimoto, S., Kaga, K. "Neuromagnetic responses to binaural beat in human cerebral cortex." Journal of Neurophysiology. 21 Jun. 2006, Volume 96, Number 4: 1927-38.
Padmanabhan, R., Hildreth, A.J., Laws, D. "A prospective, randomised, controlled study examining binaural beat audio and pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing general anaesthesia for day case surgery." Anaesthesia. 7 Jul. 2005, Volume 60, Number 9: 874-877.
Pratt H., Starr A., Michalewski H.J., Dimitrijevic A., Bleich N., Mittelman N. "Cortical evoked potentials to an auditory illusion: Binaural beats." Clinical Neurophysiology. 1 Aug. 2009, 120, 8: 1514-1524.
Schwarz, D.W., Taylor, P. "Human auditory steady state responses to binaural and monaural beats." Clinical Neurophysiology. 1 Mar. 2005, Volume 113, Number 3: 658-668.
Reference this article:
Dunning, Brian.
"Binaural Beats: Digital Drugs." Skeptoid Podcast. Skeptoid Media, Inc.,
31 Mar 2009. Web.
10 Sep 2010. <http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4147>
Discuss!
Remember, you should always read with skepticism the comments of anyone too lame to put their real name & city.
Nice article, although there are a handful of studies that seems to point to the fact that binaural beats can in certain circumstances reduce anxiety and improve attention.
Jack Jones, Tampa
March 31, 2009 11:01pm
This was hilarious. Anybody with a rudimentary training in music would know that the so called "beats" occur when two pitches are not in tune. I would encourage anyone wanting to listen to these to go to a middle school band concert.
Scott, Chicago
April 01, 2009 7:00am
Excellent episode as usual Brian.
Consise, to the point and best of all, likely to cause apoplexy in the proponents of these so called "audiometric drugs".
Pedro B, Winnipeg Canada
April 01, 2009 8:25am
I'll skip the treatment thank you.
The sample alone was annoying.
Robert Jase, New Britain, CT
April 02, 2009 6:21am
You'd skip the treatment just because Brian's sample was annoying? Even if it worked?
Max, Boston, MA
April 02, 2009 9:26am
thanks brian.
david erardi, milford,ma
April 02, 2009 12:03pm
"Pzizz" is a big one. Binaural naps. I think power-of-suggestion, general sleepiness, and repetitive behavior make up 99% of Pzizz's success.
Sam, Destin, FL
April 05, 2009 12:44am
While I was listening to this podcast, I was reminded of tuning my guitar. Why, do you ask? When using harmonic notes to tune guitars, they create the same pulsation when the strings are slightly out of tune. When the pulsation stops, you're strings are tuned together.
Mark, San Diego, CA
April 07, 2009 5:40pm
Calling the phantom beat an illusion is a bit of an overstretch. Illusion would be a psychoacoustic effect, but in fact it is a well known acoustic phenomena - used for example to tune the instruments, as Mark has noticed.
Because the waves are identical, but have slightly different frequencies they instantly go out of phase with each other and this creates something called a comb filter. The relative phase of the signals will change with each period and thus the comb filter will be moving - an effect called a phaser in music. Now on complex signals that would create some weird effects, but because the signals are simple sine waves the effect is just a simple vibrato - or volume vibrations in layman's terms. The same effect could be achieved by down mixing the both channels to a single mono channel - the binaural beats simply use the brain as the mixer. It can also be achieved through speakers, although poor acoustic properties of most rooms will frequently spoil the effect.
Tomek, Warsaw
April 09, 2009 7:45am
This clearly demonstrates what I have found true for years now - that tuning my bass before a show gives me an energized feeling!
What was that about the power of suggestion?
Mike, Detroit
April 09, 2009 10:49am
I am an elementary music teacher and just spent the last hour tuning the guitars in my class. I guess I will be imortal because those beats were all over the place.
Michael, St. Louis, MO
April 09, 2009 1:08pm
I figured you'd get a lot of comments from musicians. Personally I find 2 sine waves slightly out of tube with some pink noise irritating. Perhaps lingering effects of 10 years teaching guitar. It bothered my roommates cats, too.
Sean, Milwaukee, WI
April 12, 2009 1:24pm
Hi There,
I have used this products.
The one I used is designed to get you to a meditative state quicker than the usual methods. I.e. Theta brainwaves but without the hard work and dedication that meditation takes. In consumer society, you can see why there would be a demand for such a product.
Whilst I cannot show any evidence of what happens to brainwaves, I can say that listening to it is much like being hypnotist (which I have been several times). Your body goes to sleep, feel like you have a big weight on you. Your heart slows down as does your mind. And your thoughts wonder, much as they do when you meditate.
I can therefore recommend them as a meditation aid, which can help with such things as depressoin, anxiety, insomnia etc.
I'd be interested in seeing brainscans to see exactly what happens to the brain during the use of these kinds of recordings..
Nick, London
April 14, 2009 3:58am
Brian, your comment about pendulums synchronizing reminded me of several YouTube videos that demonstrate the effect you're talking about extremely well. Here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMVxVbCIPjg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yysnkY4WHyM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlYIyKic3w8
Gary, Atlanta
April 17, 2009 6:14am
Heh, when I started listening to the podcast I happened to be listening with one headphone on. I was initially confused at what was so special about the sound.
Coleman Mulkerin, Sayre, PA
April 27, 2009 9:47pm
A question about the ethics of this - I have a friend who uses i-doser a lot and has even given up other recreational drugs using i-doser instead of pot or LSD. I was going to talk to her about the fact that it's probably a placebo-kind of self-hypnosis thing, an not the sound, but what if by discussing that with her I take away how effective it is for her.
I haven't discussed it with her yet
Jon, Greensboro, NC
May 17, 2009 11:20am
Great article. It clearly explains exactly what binaural beats are. I hope that others read this information so that they can truly learn the great impact that binaural beats could have on their lives.
Aaron, Atlanta
June 28, 2009 12:02am
To the musicians who say this is just the same as their experiences tuning instruments:
In tuning situations, the beats are physically real. They exist in the sound waves as the two vibrations overlap; they can be seen in the sounds if you record and display the waveform.
In the case of binaural beats, however, it is the contention of the proponents of binaural beats that the sounds are acoustically isolated from one another: one in the left headphone, the other in the right. There is no actual "beat", because the two frequencies don't physically overlap. The perception of beats is generated by the brain processing the two signals.
If that is true, binaural beats would be an illusion, in that you are perceiving something (beats) that does not physically exist.
However, it is possible that bone conduction or some other physical coupling between the two headphones generates the beats before they are translated to nerve impulses. Given what we know about the cochlea and the ear-to-nerve translation of sound, I actually think this is more plausible than the brain reconstructing an illusion of beats.
Timothy Mills, Edinburgh, UK
July 20, 2009 2:07am
I've been working with binaural beats for a little over a year now...I would agree that a lot of the claims are over the top. I wouldn't make the claim that binaural beats instantly switch your brain to happiness. Even in physics, entrainment doesn't work that way. I would suggest that the meditative & relaxing nature of some of the extra sounds used creates a state where brainwaves might, after some time, adjust to the frequencies suggested by the particular beat being produced. Relaxation itself is a wonderful tonic for many physical problems.
I also agree with the previous post about how the brain percieves these beats. I've worked as a piano tuner for many years and noted that during a tuning, I could stay focused on a task while my mind moved to a very relaxed and creative state. So when I began using binaural beats, I wanted to recreate that state of mind that I had during a piano tuning. It was easy to do.
There is something to binaural entrainment but I think it to be far more complex than we know. As for I-dosing...eh not what I'm looking for.
Mitch, Cincinnati
August 22, 2009 4:26am
Maybe the big advantage of binaural beats over regular music , is that you can easily forget them , and hence it's easier to listen them again and again. I can listen to particular music to induce a particular state of mind, but if I play it one hour for each days, I will probably get enough of it.
I'd say, that on contrary that "binaural beats", have no taste just like water, and if you manage to get a particular state of mind with one of them, it might be easier to use systematically. Personally I love to hear ambient sound like rain, or wind, it have a relaxing effect on me (either there's a binaural beat effect on it or not).
mehdi, morrocco
September 19, 2009 10:42am
I teach the beat frenquency in my Physics class in high school and I would like to thank you for that analysis. It was a great tool for me to discuss about those claims with my students.
Thank you!
Ebo0763, Canada
September 30, 2009 8:17am
BTW, I gave Skeptoid full credit for this information and I also gave the link to my students.
Ebo0763, Canada
September 30, 2009 1:45pm
i dont know about you, but i cant close my eyes and listen to that for more then 5 seconds
it sounds creepy!
Jacob, Mustang,OK
September 30, 2009 11:52pm
I have been debating about buying certain type of programs to improve brain memory and etc, but have been skeptical and reluctant to pay the price for a program such as holosync, this post really clarifies things for me, as I pointed out the power of suggestion is probably working tool & but the beats with meditation probably don't hurt anything.
Great post
Jon, Delphos, OH
December 04, 2009 8:36am
I invested in the Holosync system and can only encourage you not waste your money. There are more affordable ambient sound tracks with binaural beats on ITunes, without all the hype. Mr. Harris is a wealthy salesman and you will never hear the end of his offers. I’ve heard him contradict himself on more than one occasion, so steer clear.
Do the ambient sounds and binaural beats work? Well, Mr. Harris promises you will be meditating like a Zen Monk and being neither a Zen Monk nor qualified Scientists I can’t honestly say that is what happens. They did help me relax and I slept like a baby, and because a good night’s sleep will help anyone I still use them when needed. So they worked for me, though not as he said they would.
I would also like to mention that many of the folks who make these sound tracks warn folks with epilepsy not to use them. I have had epilepsy all my life and they never bothered me once. Now had I tried one of the systems with the flashing lights then that may have bothered me a great deal but just the binaural beats did not.
They also make various different tracks that target issues such as, wealth, health, sleep etc. I found that if you are only listening to the sound tracks and not the guided meditations then it doesn’t matter what they claim to be targeting. I’ve tried them all and believe me, I’m neither rich, famous or twenty years younger than when I started.
It all needs additional research by qualified professionals.
Cherie, Monterey, Ca
December 12, 2009 4:52pm
"Certain brain states produce certain brain waves; brain waves don't produce brain states."
I find this statement bothersome -- not the whole article or the argument being made, but just this statement :)
The brain produces a certain EEG pattern when it's in a certain state. If (IF!) you can induce the same brain activity (measured as "waves"), you'd have the same state.
The brain is the brain. If it's in a state, it's in that state. Your, "which comes first, the waves or the state," statement sounds like you're saying you can't induce a brain-state, which the rest of your argument doesn't support (music induces a state).
Strobes are used to induce a state of brain activity to help diagnose epilepsy. Which came first, the "wave" or the "state?"
The claims of these binaural charlatans are bullshit, this is clear, but I just had probs with this one statement in the midst of your case.
cv, seattle
December 29, 2009 5:50pm
Recently, one of the developers selling a binaural beats iPhone/iPod app set it to Free for a while. Remembering this episode, I downloaded it. Finally today I remembered it, and am trying it out even as I type this comment.
After nearly an hour of listening, some times with the binaural beat and sometimes without, I can't really tell whether or not the beats help. However, the new age sound/music used as the primary sound for masking the beat really is relaxing. I have no sensation that the "Deep Sleep" beat, the "Active Relaxation" beat, nor the "Deep Relaxtion" beat are making me sleepy or relaxed. The music is soothing though, and work sure is making me feel like taking a nap. But work always does that to me - I blame the giant life-force sucking machine they clearly have functioning underneath the office.
Randy, Memphis, TN
February 02, 2010 8:07am
Interesting. I've been using something called Hemi-Sync for guided meditation, and have achieved very rapid success where previously I was met with failure.
I can't figure out if this is because of the power of suggestion (and my subsequent increased focus) or if these beats actually work. I definitely find it easier to reach altered states of consciousness while the tones are playing in my ears.
I guess I took it for granted that they were doing empirical studies on this stuff since it's been around for a while.
Phil B, New York City
February 02, 2010 11:52am
As I understood the left and right brain lobes try to resonate to the binaural frequency which produces the corresponding state. I also feel that we must create a suitable environment for this to work. As an example, one cannot be watching a MMA fight while using Alpha state binaural unless the energy level of the frequency can literally override the energy level produced by brain. I recently bought the Insight + focus CDs from Dr. Mercola's website and may be inform this forum later what my results are.
Regards
Gandhi, Vancouver
February 07, 2010 1:21pm
I've noticed a similar artefact before when I've tried to force myself to focus on two contrasting sensory inputs, but it was never as obvious as this is. With a little effort I got my vision to do a similar kind of skipping with the old faces-or-vase picture. Instead of seeing one or the other, try to perceive both at the same time. Your vision will skip back and forth between the two states.
This seems to be further evidence that the brain can change focus rapidly but only concentrate on one thing at a time.
John, Canada
February 09, 2010 6:51pm
The sample was annoying. I'll throw binaural beats into the category of therapies that don't work on me: Reiki healing, massage therapy, past life regression therapy, mega-vitamin overdosing, and wheatgrass juice. I guess I'm not open-minded enough.
Abby, Austin, TX
February 22, 2010 6:41pm
Big fan of the show! The lucidity is astounding. I just listened to the episode, and did a little research on binaural beats myself. Strangely I found a very credible source supporting binaural beats.
It's from Physiology and Behavior, Vol 63, No. 2: pages 249-252, 1998.
There's also an online copy of it:
http://prosopopeia.sics.se/style/pdf/binauralbeats.pdf
Please read it! I'd love to know whether this source is as real as the references and researchers on it seem.
My email is fluffypotato@msn.com if someone or Mr Dunning can critically analyze this.
Thanks!
Kevin G, Perth, WA
May 30, 2010 6:20am
I love listening to binaural music, not just the tone you have here but actual music. It is relaxing and seems to put me in a trance like state.
I believe it's because the music keeps me from overthinking. My brain is focused on the music so my mind and body are able to relax. Does that make sense?
I also use it when people snore so I can sleep. The snoring blends in with the music so it's not so jarring. But I have to use headphones to get the full effect.
Works great with a relaxation massage as well.
Akaara, Portsmouth, NH
June 23, 2010 7:18am
I have listened to so many of these so called "binaural" beats and what I can say is listening to my favorite music had a much better effect on my mood than this crap. I guess if some people want to believe this stuff works than I guess in a sense it will for them (sounds more like a placebo effect to me). I can't understand what the big thing is about this nonsense, just another scam to take people's hard earned money. I guess to each their own for what works for them. I can't believe I wasted my money on this nonsense. The sound of my air conditioner running did more to relax me.
James, rural PA
June 25, 2010 4:13am
Just wanted to point out the story on the Australian New Limited website news.com.au
The story is titled "iDosing and digital drugs - can your kids really get high without narcotics?"
apparently...
* Kids caught "iDosing" at high school
* I-Doser owner urges caution for us1ers
* User saw "paint peeling off walls".
additionally
"'iDosing' can be seen as a gateway drug..."
It's sensationally sickening!
Thanks for the great work Brian!
Matt Simon, Adelaide, Austrlia
July 15, 2010 6:47pm
"The sound of my air conditioner running did more to relax me."
haha very true :)
Edgaras, Vilnius
July 21, 2010 8:00am
The first binaural beat I ever tried was one by iDoser for Marijuana. I quite honestly felt stoned. Things were seriously weird. Time had slowed down... everything.
That was 2 years ago.
Not one binaural beat has worked on me since. I'm pretty sure that first experience was just placebo/power of suggestion.
Luckily, I have probably tens of thousands of dollars worth of iDosers, but I didn't pay one cent, and I can play them as many times as I want (I LOVE torrenting :D). I also have a few sleep aids that have thus far failed, as well.
They really are crap. Cute for the novelty, but that's about it.
Nathan, Boca Raton, FL
July 22, 2010 1:49pm
I've been using free binaural beat downloads for a few months now, to improve mental concentration and alertness.
No great benefits, but I do find that I'm slightly more physically relaxed, yet mentally awake after 10-15 minutes listening.
I find the most effective ones are those which claim to boost IQ. These don't seem to actually raise IQ but they do seem to be quite mentally refreshing. Ironically the binaural beats tracks that claim to be specifically for ADHD actually make me sleepy.
Mike, New Zealand
August 12, 2010 6:13pm
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Good episode. There's a small typo in the transcript just after the first sound file. It says "binaureal" instead of "binaural."
B., U.S.A.
March 31, 2009 1:39pm