Be Better With Beta: The Benefits Of Beta Waves

In the past we discussed how binaural beats work, by affecting brainwaves and stimulating the mind to achieve specific mental, emotional, and even physical results. There are a number of brainwaves that can be affected, and we already shown what the benefits of alpha waves are, and now we’re going to see another brainwave pattern: beta waves.

What are Beta Waves?

Beta waves are officially classified as the frequency range of human brain activity between 12.5 and 35-40Hz, which is the range associated when the brain is conscious or awake. These waves are connected to the mind being active or working, and connected to being focused and sharp, as well as critical thinking.  They are also associated with the flight-or-fight response, which is responsible for what happens when we are faced with an anxious or threat-induced choice, which synergizes well with Beta Waves also being responsible for being very alert.

They are actually divided into three (3) classifications: Low Beta (12-15Hz), which is when the mind is in a quiet and focused mode, Mid-Range Beta (15-20Hz), which is when the mind is moving at a higher and faster pace, bordering on anxiety, and High Beta (20-35/40Hz) which is when the mind is experiencing stress, anxiety, dread.

Beta Waves are the brainwaves we experience the most in our lives, as many of our day-to-day activities require conscious effort to perform, especially when it comes to work, school, recreational activities, and even household chores. 

Some Differences and Similarities Between Alpha and Beta

In general, Beta Waves are associated with conscious effort and thinking, which is in contrast to Alpha Waves that are associated with relaxation and subconscious effort. Whereas Alpha Waves allow your body to perform in an almost “zen” like fashion, that is, without thinking, Beta Waves make your body perform better if it requires a lot of thinking and concentration. 

For example, while an athlete may have a sudden burst of Alpha Waves right before performing an amazing shot, a master welder will have a steady flow of Beta Waves in order to create a perfect weld that may mean the difference between life and death.

Another key difference between Beta Waves and Alpha Waves, is that Beta Waves are associated with logic, whereas Alpha Waves are associated with creativity. Both can be used for problem solving purposes, but with different approaches.

Both Alpha and Beta waves however can work in synergy with one another. For instance, a MMA fighter may rely on sudden bursts of Alpha Waves when his body naturally throws punches and kicks, but also on Beta Waves in order to make decisions on where to hit, how to maneuver, and when to run or attack.

In fact, a healthy mind is one that has a healthy balance of Alpha and Beta waves!

Benefits of Beta Waves

As mentioned above, Beta Waves are associated with concentration, logical thinking, and focus. And so the main benefits are related to those as well.

1.) Concentration and focus – Beta Waves allow people to be able to concentrate more, to drown out distractions and focus on the tasks that need to be done. When you need a steady hand and a sharp mind, Beta Waves are for you.

In addition, research has shown that improving Beta Waves also helps against ADD, helping kids to focus rather than have their attention diverted so easily. 

2.) Sharper thinking – Beta Waves make thinking faster, better, and more realistic. Information in the brain is accessed much faster, allowing for speedier decision making, and because Beta Waves improve logical thinking, any decisions made will be much more grounded in realism rather than the fantastic.

3.) Higher mental endurance – Like any machine or body part, the brain can get worn out and tired when it is worked too much. Beta Waves help in this by making the mind stronger and therefore last longer, allowing you to focus and concentrate and perform for extended periods of time, and can mean the difference between success and failure.

4.) Enhanced learning – Similar to Alpha Waves, Beta Waves can also increase learning, done on top of increasing concentration.

How To Increase Beta Waves

Activities that require mental focus and concentration are good ways to increase Beta Waves. 

Reading books is one way, in particular, books with compelling information or stories. The more that it forces your mind to exert effort, the better.

Playing mind games that require logic and critical thinking also helps increase good Beta Wave production. Chess, for example, not only forces the mind to be focused to succeed, but also to engage in logical and critical thinking that requires the person to be two or three steps ahead.

And then there's the use of binaural beats, which influences the mind by being in-sync with good Beta Wave frequencies and helping the brain reap its benefits. Listen to this binaural beats track for fitness that helps you keep focused and at the same time keeps you calm yet active. And don't forget to visit our binaural beats music library for more tracks and albums for all your brainwave enhancing needs.

What Are False Awakenings? What To Do When It Happens To You

Have you ever experienced, whether as a normal dreamer or a lucid dreamer, finding yourself in a normal everyday situation (getting up, showering, getting dressed, having breakfast, and heading out to work or school) only for you to find yourself back in bed after you thought your day had already started? Only to find out after waking up “for real” that you still actually haven’t? 

This is what’s called a false awakening, a phenomenon that can happen to normal and lucid dreamers, where the dream changes into the dreamer waking up but is actually still asleep and dreaming. This episode can happen multiple times when it does, leading to confusion and amusement at best, and terror at worst, feeling like you’re trapped in a time loop. And it is almost difficult to know when it happens, because the dream is so vivid, it is virtually identical to reality itself.

Why does this happen?

While there are a number of reasons why false awakenings happen, many experts have come to the conclusion that they most commonly happen when the dreamer is anxious or highly excited about the following day. It is the mind’s way of simulating what would actually happen when the dreamer wakes up on the big day, with many believing it is to prepare them and make sure they are reminded what to do and how to do it.

For example, if you’re stressed about a job interview you’ve been wanting for a long time, you might dream about it the night before and be subjected to multiple false awakening episodes before finally waking up for real. The same can be said about a wedding day, a big vacation or purchase (which is common for kids and will often be when they first experience their false awakenings) or even a sporting event, leading dreamers to believe they’ve “predicted” who would win!

Escaping false awakenings

This is where things get a little complicated. As mentioned earlier, false awakenings are very difficult to recognize due to the vivid nature of the dream blurring the lines between what’s in the mind and what’s real. Oftentimes the false awakening episode is so close to the dreamer’s real life routine, that they won’t even do anything different that could potentially make them escape the episode. With these tips however, it can be managed and over time, it will become easier and easier, even leading to more lucid dreaming!

1.) Reality checks – the most common way to try and escape false awakenings is the reality check. This is when the dreamer tries to find out if “everything is in order” so they can see if they are dreaming or not. But this doesn’t always work, especially since, as mentioned above, the dream is so vivid and close to reality that it is hard to spot incongruities. But it still works, especially when you go about your routine and see that you now live in a 30 bedroom house as opposed to your 1 room apartment when you open the door to take a bath. Things like that can jar you and wake you up.

2.) Read, Write, Remember – This method is quite effective as it uses the brain itself to try and jar you from your false awakening. In a dream, it is very hard to write, read, or even just recognize words and numbers, as well as remember details from your life that involve words and numbers, as the parts of the brain that are involved in those processes are still shut down due to being asleep. So, to help escape your false awakening, add tasks that involve these in your daily routine: check your clock every morning, read a passage in a book or your phone, remember your home address or your own phone number. If you find yourself able to do these easy when you wake up, then you’re truly awake. But if you can’t even see what time it is or remember your own phone number, you’re still asleep and in a false awakening!

3.) Go with your gut – As simple as this sounds, people often miss it. If you wake up one morning and begin to have doubt, asking yourself “am I dreaming?” then you probably are. If you feel like something is off or amiss, even without doing a reality check or a memory check, then you probably are still dreaming. So trust your gut!

Once your mind recognizes any of these flags, it will usually make you escape the false awakening by waking you up, or by readying you to take control to turn that false awakening into the start of a lucid dream, which we will tackle in a future blog post soon!

In the meantime, listen to this binaural beats track for relaxation and calming the mind using ambient alpha range music from Brainwave Power Music. 

And if you enjoyed that, check out our expansive binaural beatsmusic library here and get more awesome tracks for you to use! http://www.brainwavepowermusic.com/the-music-store

What To Expect When Lucid Dreaming (Part 1)

Lucid dreaming is a powerful tool that unlocks your mind and opens up a world of possibilities for your sleep, after learning what exactly lucid dreaming is and how to prepare your room for lucid dreaming. But some people let the excitement get the better of them and miss a crucial part: to learn about what to expect when lucid dreaming. 

Along the way, the dreamer might experience things that are above the norm that can be scary and intimidating if not understood properly. We will go to the specific directions on how to initiate lucid dreams in a future post, but for now, it is very important to understand what to expect first.

The Hypnagogic State

This is a crucial period during the sleeping phase that may cause some fear if it is experienced but there is no understanding of the events that occur during this stage. The Hypnagogic State, which, translated from Greek literally means “sleep guide”, is the state of mind which may induce visions, sounds, even emotions and intellectual insights as we fall asleep.  Many people skip this part, what with our hectic busy lifestyles sapping our strength during the day and causing us to just collapse to sleep at night. But those who stay aware as they fall asleep, random shapes, landscapes, visual patterns, even blurry but familiar faces, appear in their field of vision. 

For many, this can be a harrowing experience, but these images and their accompanying sensations can actually trigger lucid dreams, so don’t be afraid of what you see, hear, and feel!

The Transition To Dream State

Once you hit the hypnagogic state and the visual and auditory hallucinations that happen, it now falls onto what you will do to be able to transition to the lucid dream state. The stages of the transition can be divided into 3 major stages: the start, the middle, and the end stages, and each part has different levels of hallucinations you need to be able to go through.

For visual hallucinations, the starting stage contains random speckles and shapes, some bright lights, or patterns that all float around or just be static in your field of vision.  The middle stage is when the hallucinations you are seeing begin to take shape, and the hallucinations last longer and become very vivid, as you inch closer and closer to the final stage, where the dream imagery fully replaces your vision.

For auditory hallucinations, the starting stage may cause you to hear random sounds that vary in intensity, but most people report having quite alarming and loud sounds that can be disconcerting. The middle stage is the same as the start, but during this time sounds are more audible, and you may even hear speech from the dream characters that may appear in your dream. As you enter the final stage, all of the sounds replace your hearing and become very audible, like finally entering a movie theater.

Other hallucinations, such as sense of touch and even emotions, also have stages. The starting stage may cause you to feel like you’re floating, like when you are in a swimming pool. Emotions become mixed as if you are being adjusted from what you are feeling when awake and what you will feel in your dream.  In the middle stage, the feeling of floating or hovering will begin to be replaced with more control; think of the difference between simply floating on water and treading on it. Your emotions may begin to settle in, but not fully there yet. And at the final stage, you will gain full control of your dream body, and your emotions will fit what you will feel in the dream.

This is just the start of what to expect from lucid dreaming! And while the possibilities are quite exciting, there are also things that we need to be wary of. Stay tuned for part two where we will discuss taking precautions against one of the more fearful things dreamers may experience: sleep paralysis.

For now, enjoy a binaural beats composition that can help you relax and be ready for the Hypnagogic State by listening to our Brainwave Power Music track below.

Also, take a look at our binaural beats albums collection. You can find numerous tracks suited to your lucid dreaming needs, as well as tracks for meditation, relaxation, and more: http://brainwavepowermusic.com/albums.

What Is Lucid Dreaming, And Why Should You Lucid Dream?

You've probably ran across the term already online: “lucid dreaming.” And wherever you have seen it or whatever the source, lucid dreaming, what it is and what it does, can range from the fantastic to the horrific and everything in between. And with the wealth of definitions available online it is easy to get lost with either unrealistic expectations, or unfounded fears. So, let's set the record straight: what exactly is lucid dreaming, and why should you try to lucid dream?

Before we understand what lucid dreaming is, it is important to understand what dreaming is first, as is. To put it simply dreams are involuntary images, sounds, feelings, ideas, and even emotions, created by the brain as we sleep. Note that it is emphasized that normal dreams are “involuntary”, as this is critical in defining what lucid dreaming is.

Many of us are thrust into a dream, or worse, a nightmare, without any control when we sleep. And whether the images are pleasant or unpleasant, once we're in a dream, we're in it as passengers, without knowing what we would experience and for how long.

A lucid dream is exactly like a normal dream with two crucial differences.

First, -you- are in control of it. Instead of merely being a passenger, you are the writer, director, sound engineer, action choreographer, and cinematographer, all rolled into one. And of course, you also get to experience your creation. Everything is possible, from simple flying, to mind-boggling creations that seem to bend time and space and defy all rules of logic and physics. Done correctly and to its fullest potential, it is even possible to communicate with your own subconscious, which may push your own personal limits.

Second, lucid dreams are even more potent than normal dreams, turning into an alternate reality altogether where what you sense can be as real as it gets. So much so that you might think of it as actual reality itself!

And this is often where people get divided into either being very fascinated, or being scared. We will tackle the pros and cons of lucid dreaming in another upcoming article, but what we can say with certainty is this: done correctly, there is nothing to fear about lucid dreaming.

So why should we even try to lucid dream? Why not just leave your sleep and dreams alone and not risk something so powerful possibly harming you?

There are many good reasons why we should at least try to lucid dream, majority of which we will be discussing soon. But the most general reason to lucid dream, is to simply unleash the full potential of your consciousness and your brainpower.

Imagine having deep within you the power to experience the best, most profound freedom and escapism we often seek in watching movies or playing video games, with everything being catered to your needs (i.e.: you're the hero!) Imagine being able to tap into your subconscious to try and solutions problems in real life, whether it be for work or personal, before you even attempt them in the real world. Imagine having the most potent drug that artists and scientists can only wish they have to create their works, right at your fingertips, to help you in any creative or technical pursuit you may have.

Aren't those basic reasons enough to at least give lucid dreaming a try?

If your answer is yes, then we can help you. Start by conditioning your mind for a relaxing sleep by watching this video, which aims to promote relaxation and peace of mind. And stay tuned for more tips in your journey to become a lucid dreamer.

If you enjoyed that track and would like to have more that promote relaxation, increase awareness, and improve overall well-being for lucid dreaming, take a look at our binaural beats albums in this link: http://brainwavepowermusic.com/albums

The Dream Herb: Calea Zacatechichi (Calea Z)

The Dream Herb:
Calea Zacatechichi (Calea Z)

Calea Zacatechichi is for any courageous dream explorer who wants to experience a richer dream life. This dream herb that is scientifically popular to increase dream recall, dream intensity and an experience of the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep.

Calea zacatechichi is a plant from Oaxaca, Mexico known for its effectiveness on dreams. Conventionally, it is popularized by the indigenous Chontal as a way of dream prediction. A Chontal spiritualist would smoke a cigarette and drink a tea made from its leaves before going to sleep. The dream would then give them the answers they were looking for like the reason why a person was sick.

It is also known as the “Dream Herb”. It will thrill you to know that this plant is known for its ability to induce lucid dreams. During the night, the dream herb works its magic by creating vivid dreams and producing consequential insights for the dreamer. Calea Z helps elucidate the senses specifically the inner senses and induces a state of excitement. Other reported results include mild hallucinations and being more aware of sound, where it is coming from such as its depth and distance. 

The major effect of the Dream Herb is to increase the vividness and lucidity of your dreams.  Some effects of Calea Z occur in the dream world.  Consuming the dream herb before sleep brings on a state of relaxation, and can also help relieve you from insomnia. You might feel a slight loss of coordination due to deep relaxation the herb puts you in, so it is always advisable to intake this herb as your sleep aid. The relaxing effects can last through till morning as well. Calea Z will provide reflection on your dream experiences and the messages they transmit.

These are the proper methods of consumption:

Drinking it as tea. The tea gives you a relaxing effect and an easy way to get the benefits of the Dream Herb. This herb is really bitter. You can take it as tea with lots of honey.

Vaporizing or smoking. Vaporize the Calea Z.  It is significantly healthier and you get the same relaxant effect as in drinking its tea form. It will help you to increased relaxation and produced deeper sleep.

Ingesting Capsules. You could take this herb in capsule form. This gets around the bitterness issue and also ensures you take a specific amount. Find a supply of ready-made Calea Z capsules, or you can pack the dry leaf into empty gel capsules. Take1-2 capsules after 4-6 hours sleep. This gives you sufficient deep sleep before getting on longer REM cycles.

If you are a lucid dreamer, it really helps if you maintain your desired dream as you fall asleep, having ingested your dose of Calea Z.

Think of your desired dreamscape and direct your consciousness into that scenario, attracting all the senses. Repeat the affirmation in your mind silently. The next scenario will be a dream. You can breathe it in and out, like ocean waves softly caressing at the shore.

Try not to get too excited about the possibilities of your Calea Z dreams. Relax and enjoy the experience, set yourself with no pressure to achieve a life-changing dream or a reflective lucid dream. There will be ample of time to analyze and imitate on your experience in the following day.

To add more relaxing effect while sleeping. Listen to our Deep Sleep Hypnosis for Good Dreams with Binaural Beats (dream recall).

SUBSCRIBE To Our Channel & Be the First to Listen to our Newly Uploaded Tracks!

~
If you liked Brainwave Power Music's original audio tracks, you can give your support by donating via the Paypal Donate button below, and it will help the team continue making more music.