THE BASICS OF BRAIN WAVES
Brain waves are generated by the building blocks of your brain -- the individual cells called neurons. Neurons communicate with each other by electrical changes.We can actually see these electrical changes in the form of brain waves as shown in an EEG.
Brain waves are measured in cycles per second (Hertz; Hz is the short form). We also talk about the "frequency" of brain wave activity.
The lower the number of Hz, the slower the brain activity or the slower the frequency of the activity. You’ll see the popularity of “Binaural Beats” of different Hertz, and after you review the following information - you’ll better understand the right Hertz for your current time goals and accomplishments.
Understanding the MIND. There are two main aspects of mind.
The Conscious Mind
This is the analytical and critical part of our brain that governs our awareness or consciousness at any point in time. It is the final processing point for our decisions, actions or reactions in daily life which we are aware that we are making.
The Subconscious Mind
This is the 'deeper' part of the mind that is responsible for processing thousands of things at any one time and for storing everything we have experienced in our lives in differing degrees of importance. It sort of runs on 'Auto Pilot' without us even realizing it is doing so much. In this respect it is much like the hard drive of a computer that stores information that is accessed by the other parts of the computer/mind.
Have You Ever Wondered What Kind Of Brain Waves You Produce?
First off, we don't ever produce only "one" brain wave type. Our overall brain activity is a mix of all the frequencies at the same time, some in greater quantities and strength than others. The meaning of all this? Balance is the key. We don't want to regularly produce too much or too little of any brainwave frequency.
The systems that govern the brain are the most compact and complex on earth. Despite the fact that more has been learned about the brain in the last 30 years than in all of human history, science has not come close to understanding how all the pieces fit together to create human consciousness.
However we do know this: Consciousness is related to communication between the different parts of the brain.
Different levels of consciousness and states of mind are the result of the different areas of the brain communicating with one another at any given time. We also know that the different areas of the brain communicate by sending electrical signals along neurons that connect one area to another. There are more than 100 billion neurons in the brain, each making from hundreds to hundreds of thousand connections which means a total of a hundred trillion connections. These electrical connections are at the heart of how well the brain functions.
How Do We Achieve That Balance?
We need both flexibility and resilience for optimal functioning. Flexibility generally means being able to shift ideas or activities when we need to or when something is just not working.
Well, it means the same thing when we talk about the brain. We need to be able to shift our brain activity to match what we are doing. At work, we need to stay focused and attentive and those beta waves are a Good Thing. But when we get home and want to relax, we want to be able to produce less beta and alpha activity. To get to sleep, we want to be able to slow down even more.
So, we run into illness and trouble when we can't shift to match the demands of our lives.
We're also in trouble when we get stuck in a certain pattern. For example, after injury of some kind to the brain (and that could be physical or emotional), the brain tries to stabilize itself and it purposely slows down.
Flexibility is a key goal for efficient brain functioning.
Resilience generally means stability - being able to bounce back from negative events and to "bend with the wind, not break". Studies show that people who are resilient are healthier and happier than those who are not.
So it comes down to - how can we become more resilient?
The brain needs to be able to "bounce back" from all the unhealthy things we do to it (drinking, smoking, missing sleep, banging it, etc.) And the resilience we all need to stay healthy and happy starts in the brain.
Resilience is critical for your brain to be and stay effective. When something goes wrong, likely it is because our brain is lacking either flexibility or resilience.
How Flexible are you?
We want our brain to be both flexible - able to adjust to whatever we are wanting to do - and resilient - able to go with the flow.
To do this, it needs access to a variety of different brain states. These states are produced by different patterns and types of brain wave frequencies.
The 4 Operating Frequencies of the Mind
These different states are classified according to the speed of the predominant brainwave signals from one neurological point to another at any one point in time.
1. Beta: This is where our mind usually operates in daily life. In such a state we have full conscious awareness and attention of everything around us and usually only one side of brain is operating. Beta is usually typified by brainwave cycles of 15 to 40 Hz (cycles per second) Higher cycles of Beta Frequency usually equate to stress, anxiety and 'over thinking' as the conscious mind becomes misguided or reacts negatively to a given situation. High brainwave beta frequency also equates to hypertension, increased heart rate, increased blood flow, cortisone production and glucose consumption. Generally speaking, you do not want to experience the high beta state too often if you are concerned about your health.
2. Alpha: A mild daydream or light relaxation state. Operating in Alpha can be exemplified to when you are driving a car and just cruising around or when you get captivated into a good book and sort of lose track of what is happening around you. Meditation is usually aimed at achieving Alpha and the brain operates in cycles between 9Hz & 14Hz. Alpha is typified by partial conscious awareness and partial subconscious predominance at the same time. It is useful to absorb information when in Alpha and is considered to be highly desirable for more effective studying. Alpha promotes more of the left side of the brain to be used for processing.
3. Theta: Deep relaxation where the conscious mind is, for the most part, 'switched off', and the subconscious mind is left to flourish. This is usually typified by sleep, dreaming, very deep relaxation and is where most hypnotists aim at taking their clients down to. Theta shows brainwave cycles operating at 5hz to 8hz. Theta is where ideas, visualizations and suggestion are more likely to enter the subconscious mind and consciously we become less aware of what is going on around us.
4. Delta: Extremely deep relaxation/sleep with complete subconscious operation. Delta is experienced in the deepest of sleeps and is interesting because it is proven that the physical body begins to recuperate and recover at a heightened level. You can be in waking delta if you are in an advanced state of meditation. This state is associated with 'kundalini' experiences.
Delta is typified by slow brain waves at 1Hz - 4Hz.
What Stops Our Brain From Being In Balance All The Time?
Here Are The Big 6:
Injury
Medications, including alcohol
Fatigue
Emotional distress
Pain
Stress
These 6 states tend to create a pattern in our brain's activity that is hard to shift.
So how can we optimize these 4 states of frequency through our life for optimizing our vision, to create goals and then live consciously so we can a higher frequency and state of joy?
Turn up and optimize your binaural beats.
Delta waves (below 4 hz) occur during sleep
Theta waves (4-7 hz) are associated with sleep, deep relaxation (like hypnotic relaxation), and visualization
Alpha waves (8-13 hz) occur when we are relaxed and calm
Beta waves (13-38 hz) occur when we are actively thinking, problem-solving, etc.
The decision is yours, use your energy - wisely dear soul. In the minds (spirit) eye.
May the force be with you.
Light and Love - Kassandra
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Additional Support and Proof!
Listen and learn to this video more from leading PHD's from the 12th Annual SSEW Symposium, “The Exposome & Metabolic Health.” Speakers discussed the role of social relationships, chemicals found in everyday items like beauty and hair care products, and our food environments in encouraging negative health outcomes such as obesity and diabetes, breast cancer, and even Alzheimer’s. Listen Here
