Brain waves play an important role in your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Learn about the different brain waves and how they affect your state of mind.
Experience some practical exercises that should keep anxiety and stress uncontrol.
What are Brain Waves?
Brain waves are electrical activity in the brain that result from neurons communicating with each other.
This is known as neural oscillations. Brain waves are measured in hertz (Hz), which is cycles per second.
Brain waves are necessary for all brain activity, including emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Different types of brain waves are associated with different states of consciousness such as …
Alpha waves (8–14 Hz)
These waves occur when you are relaxed, such as when you are sleeping or daydreaming.
Alpha waves are some of the most easily observed brain waves. Low alpha brainwave activity can lead to high stress levels, insomnia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Beta waves (14–38 Hz)
These waves occur when you are active, concentrating, and engaged in problem solving.
High levels of beta waves (typically 20–30 Hz) are associated with anxiety, panic attacks, and heightened stress responses. Beta waves are also known as “fast” waves.
Theta waves (4-8 Hz)
These waves occur when you are on auto-pilot i.e. daydreaming. You are conscious but just with very limited focus.
They are slower than alpha, beta, and gamma, but faster than delta. Low theta brainwave activity can indicate stress and poor emotional awareness.
Delta waves (less than 4Hz)
These waves occur during deep sleep and in some abnormal processes.
Delta waves are thought to play a role in learning and long-term memory storage.
When you don’t produce enough delta waves, you may experience poor sleep, an inability to rejuvenate your body and brain, and a decreased ability to learn.
Gamma waves (38–80 Hz)
These waves occur when you are mentally active, such as when you are studying or solving problems.
People with high levels of gamma waves may be happier, more receptive, and have better concentration.
Low gamma wave levels can make it difficult to learn and remember information. You will have trouble focusing.
You won’t be able to sort information into coherent images, thoughts and memories.
What is Brain Mapping?
Brain mapping is visual representations of brain activity. If your brain waves aren’t normal, anxiety could result.
These visual representations will help us understand the brain’s structure and function.
Health care providers use these strategies to study our brain waves …
- Imaging: Brain scans like CT, MRI, PET, and fMRI can be used to create images of the brain.
- Electroencephalogram (EEG): An EEG measures the electrical activity in the brain, also known as brain waves.
- Transcranial Doppler (TCD): A TCD can be used in brain mapping
- Neurofeedback: A real-time view of brain activity in response to stimuli.
- Qualitative electroencephalogram (qEEG): An analysis of recorded brain activity
Health care providers can also diagnose mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD with mapping techniques.
They use these maps to plan precise brain surgeries, and to improve therapies that relieve symptoms.
Treatments can also be personalized when standard therapies don’t work.
How do we Balance our Brain Waves?
You can try these techniques to balance your brain waves and reduce anxiety
Neurofeedback
Train your brain to increase alpha waves while reducing beta wave activity. Here is how it works … Electrodes are placed on the scalp to measure brain waves.
The brain’s activity is translated into audio or visual feedback, such as a video or song.
The patient learns to recognize when their brain waves are in an optimal state and how to sustain that state.
The patient is rewarded for having optimal brain waves, such as by continuing to watch a movie without interruptions.
The patient repeats the behaviors that leads to optimal brain waves until they become automatic.
Exercise
Regular exercise, like yoga or tai chi, can help balance brain wave patterns and promote alpha wave production.
The frequency and intensity will be increased with moderate to high movements. Your senses with work better and you will have more energy.
Bad toxins will be eliminated. More neurotransmitters will be built. Higher levels of dopamine, the feel good hormone will be produced.
Mindful movement
Practicing mindful movement for a few minutes each day can be beneficial.
Focus on problem solving and be deeply engaged in your situation is most commonly related to increased alpha and theta brain waves.
Chemicals that will change your mood for the better will take place. This is training that will make you more resistant to stress and major life challenges.
Walking and paying attention to your surroundings such as what specifically do you see, hear, and feel.
Stop frequently and practise deep breathing such as inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds.
Calming mental images
Using techniques such as Guided Imagery and Meditation should help tremendously to keep your Alpha and Beta waves balanced.
Get comfortable and find a place will little interruptions before you begin. Then, scan your body from Head to Toe guided by your breath.
For example, move your head and neck slowly in different directions; move down to your shoulders, abdomen, hips, legs and finally feet.
Another great calming practice is called Emotional Freedom Technique.
(EFT) is a self-help therapy that involves tapping on specific points of the body while focusing on a negative emotion or stressful situation.
The goal is to release “energy blockages” that cause negative emotions by countering the negative thought with a positive statement.
(EFT) is based on various alternative medicine theories, including acupuncture, energy medicine, and neuro-linguistic programming.
It also incorporates elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and somatic stimulation.
Take Away
Promoting specific brainwave states has been shown to bring a sense of relaxation, calm, peace and balance, which can help to reduce anxiety and improve our overall mental health.
This is what makes practices such as meditation, so helpful in supporting to slow down the mind and inducing relaxation states.
Being aware of brain waves can help you understand how your brain functions and how to improve your mental state!
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