Brain Waves by Tamara Emery, See Change Hypnotherapy
Many of us have heard of brain waves, but how many of us actually know what they are? Well, we know that our brain contains cells, or neurons, and these neurons communicate with each other within an electrical current, which is how we think. In fact, the human brain produces enough electricity to power a lightbulb! Brain waves are the synchronised electrical pulses that the neurons send to each other to communicate and have been studied extensively using EEG (electroencephalogram) machines.
The brain waves’ state (or speed and frequency) alters depending on how our brain is being used. For example, if we are stressed out and our thoughts are all over the place, our brain waves will be faster and of a high frequency – using a gamma wave. The gamma wave is used when we have heightened perception, when we are learning or problem solving but is also the most subtle of the brain waves. Stronger gamma rays have shown to enable us to process information from different parts of the brain simultaneously.
Beta waves are small, fast brain waves and are our ‘normal’ brainwave that we function within most of the time. The beta wave is associated with alert consciousness, excitement and intellectual activity. Beta waves are easiest to detect when we are actively thinking or concentrating on something external.
Alpha waves are slower and of a greater amplitude than the aforementioned waves. We generally use alpha waves when we are moving into a more relaxed state or when we are daydreaming, imagining something pleasant. The alpha state is the resting state for the brain, and so encourages quiet, peaceful thoughts and calmness. We can encourage increased alpha waves when we are meditating lightly, practising yoga, mindfulness or light hypnosis. We also know that being creative activates and encourages alpha waves.
The theta brain waves are of slow frequency and higher amplitude and are associated with sleep, deep hypnosis or deep relaxation and are generally very positive. It is during our theta wave that we withdraw from the outside world and are able to dream and explore our internal awareness; learning from and processing the events of the day. We generally only drift into the theta state as we are drifting into or coming out of sleep and is associated with our REM sleep. We can utilise this knowledge to help our brain relax, by using binaural beats to encourage theta waves. In fact, the hypnotherapy download we give to all our clients contains a theta wave which helps the client to easily relax and learn.
Delta waves are generated in the deepest (dreamless) sleep, deep trance hypnosis, Kundalini & coma states. They are the slowest and deeply penetrating (a bit like a drum beat) of the brain waves and are attributed to healing and regeneration – it is our restorative sleep state and is extremely important to us as human beings. It is because of the delta wave state that our bodies are able to heal and restore, helping us to feel rejuvenated.
Scientists are constantly learning more abut the human brain and, as such, allowing us to understand ourselves better. This understanding can help us to make positive changes in our lives.
Brain waves are just a small part of truly understanding what is happening in our brain; something we teach every client we work with, here at See Change Hypnotherapy. If you are interested in finding out more about this and further neuroscientific research and how it can help you, please contact us at:
Tamara@seechangehypnotherapy
07975824378
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