When it comes to IQ score, most people believe that it is fixed – they believe that once IQ has been established, it cannot be improved upon. Although there are people that believe genetics are responsible for overall intelligence, researchers have found that environmental factors also play a role. If you want to increase your IQ, the best time to start is now. If you are a younger individual and the brain is not fully developed, you have more time to increase your overall intelligence as your brain develops. Even if you are an adult, you can still boost your brain power and improve your IQ score by trying a few of the tips below.

5 Simple Ways to Boost Your IQ:

1. Exercise

Most people know that getting adequate exercise is good for your brain. However, many do not know that it can actually increase your overall intelligence. There have been numerous different studies – especially in children – demonstrating a link between increased IQ and exercise. Those who do not exercise had a moderately lower IQ score than those who got plenty of aerobic activity. Other studies in young adults have demonstrated that more fit individuals tend to have higher IQ’s than individuals who are less fit.

2. Caffeine

Despite the fact that there are certain stimulants that are controversial, many will not cause any major negative effects on your body or brain. One example of a stimulant that can help you boost your IQ is caffeine. Caffeine increases overall brain activity, alertness, and mental functioning. As you already know, it increases your beta brain waves – brain waves associated with having a higher IQ, memory functioning, and logical thinking. As little as 100 mg of caffeine boosts mental performance and functioning and can help give you a little IQ boost.  If you do more research, there are many more supplements than just caffeine that can boost IQ.  They are outlined in GLOOM’s similar article 11 ways to increase IQ scores.

3. Brain training

Doing things to challenge your brain such as: interactive reading, engaging in intellectual debates, and taking practice IQ tests all will help you boost your current IQ. Obviously the best way to boost your IQ is to practice things that will be on the test. If you want to get good at it, take the test, see how certain areas of it work, and then train yourself to take it again. When you feel as though you are ready to give it another go, see how you do. Study the areas in which you performed weak so that you can put an extra emphasis on them for the next go round. You don’t get good at basketball by just attempting a shot every once in awhile. You need to take lots of shots before you eventually figure things out.

4. Diet

Diet plays a huge role in brain development and functioning. If you eat unhealthy foods, you aren’t going to damage your brain, but it certainly won’t be functioning optimally. In order to get the most out of your brain, it is important to give it the proper nutrients that it desires. Eating a lot of crappy, processed junk foods are associated with lower IQ’s than freshly prepared, organic foods. One specific finding is that the supplementation of Omega-3 fatty acids has been linked to increased IQ scores. Eating a balanced wholesome diet will give your brain what it needs for a boost in intelligence.

5. Education

Going to school and making yourself learn new things is a good way to challenge your brain and improve your intelligence. If you sat around all day and watched TV or played video games without going through any schooling, you would have less knowledge than if you had gone to school. Taking an IQ test would be a heck of a lot more difficult if you lack a good education.

The best way to maintain your smarts and boost your IQ score is by learning new things and challenging yourself. The reason society values a good education so much is because people who have put in the time and gone through the proper schooling for their masters degree or doctoral degree tend to have greater overall knowledge than those who didn’t. Learning takes time – but will challenge your brain and help you increase your knowledge base.

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Have you ever tried any natural remedies for insomnia? Most of them work surprisingly well, and many are actually free. That’s right, you don’t even need to go to the store to buy a supplement to help you sleep better. However, you will need to take the time to do some work on yourself by changing some old habits and integrating newer, healthier habits. So what are some healthy habits that you should try to integrate if you want to overcome your insomnia condition?

Natural Remedies for insomnia to try out

1. Brainwave entrainment – With technology these days, you can actually change your brainwave patterns from high-beta (e.g. quicker brainwaves that cause you to feel stress and excitement) to slower, alpha brainwaves (e.g. those that are released when you relax). Most of these products work amazingly well, but there are some minor risks if you are susceptible to seizures and/or pregnant.

2. Visualization – Simply closing your eyes for at least 20 minutes and imagining yourself relaxing will help you physically relax. It may help you to play some relaxing, ambient music, nature sounds, or white noise during this process, but those details are up to you. I visualize daily and I always feel relaxed afterwards. It definitely will help you fall asleep quicker if you have insomnia.

3. Mindfulness meditation – People that practice this technique have reported deep feelings of relaxation following (as well as during) their meditation. It involves focusing on the present moment, and is somewhat tough to learn, but once you have it mastered, it will have been well worth it. Want an awesome natural remedy for insomnia? Try mindfulness meditation.

4. Cardio exercises – If you do a hard cardiovascular workout for at least 1 hour daily, you are going to burn off the energy that would normally be bottled up inside of you when you go to bed. Cardio exercise is among the elite natural remedies for insomnia in children as well as adults. Nearly everyone can do some form of cardio – whether it’s playing soccer, running, rollerblading, or doing a tough beach body workout. If you burn calories and tire yourself out, you will be too tired to stay awake.

5. Eliminating things from your diet – Many natural remedies for insomnia in adults and children can be gotten right from a healthy diet. If you are eating healthy foods, they will provide your brain with vital nutrients and give it what is needed to help you fall asleep at night. If you are loading up on caffeine and drinking alcohol (see: alcohol insomnia) consistently, you are likely going to struggle with insomnia. Cut out the unhealthy foods, drinks, and drugs, and you will improve – but the improvement is not going to be overnight; it may take a few months, but it will be well worth it.

More Natural Remedies for Insomnia:

• Chronic Insomnia Side Effects
• Reasons for Insomnia
• Terminal Insomnia
• Ways to Cure Insomnia
• Anxiety Insomnia

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A condition that is very common in people with anxiety disorder is “anxiety insomnia.” This is basically insomnia that is induced by anxiety disorders, nervousness, or related tension. The reason that your anxiety keeps you awake is because your brainwave pattern is unable to slow down to the alpha brainwave range from the beta brainwave range. Beta brainwaves are normal to have during the day, but at night, when it is time to go to bed, most people (without anxiety) are able to shift into the alpha range without even trying. People with anxiety stay awake over thinking things and worrying about events that happened during the day.

Anxiety and insomnia: The relationship

Even if you have insomnia without anxiety disorder, your brainwave pattern is very similar to someone who experiences anxiety. You are over-stimulated and are unable to calm yourself down and get some sleep. People with things like stress anxiety insomnia really need to minimize stimulation before bedtime. In other words, you shouldn’t be drinking alcohol, caffeine, or surfing the web if you hope to fall asleep; all of these things change your state of mind and make it much tougher to fall asleep. Alcohol can actually help some people fall asleep quicker, but it also keeps others awake and is not a healthy substance to use to fall asleep (it is a toxin).

Anxiety insomnia treatment

If you need help with treating depression anxiety insomnia (or anything that is keeping you up at night), there are some fundamental steps that you should be taking. The very first thing that you should do is develop a relaxation routine that you practice for at least 30 minutes each day before you go to bed. Examples of things that you could do in order to relax include: meditation, deep breathing, visualization, and yoga. Anxiety and insomnia treatment go hand in hand, when you reduce one, the other will likely subside with it. So if you can keep your anxiety low, your insomnia will likely plummet; if you can reduce your insomnia, your anxiety will probably improve.

Other things that you can do to improve your condition

There are some other steps that you can take in order to reduce your general anxiety disorder insomnia. If you have had problems with anxiety for awhile now, it would be smart to consult some professional help from a licensed therapist. However, if you start doing some things like: eating the healthiest possible diet, exercising every day for at least 1 hour, and staying busy throughout the day, you should tire yourself out too much to be kept awake by your anxiety. Hopefully some of these strategies work for you if you were struggling with severe insomnia and/or anxiety. If not, you can always check out some of the related articles below for additional tips.

More Anxiety Articles to Check Out:

• Natural Cures for Anxiety Disorder
• Anxiety Natural Remedies
• Natural Anxiety Relief
• Herbs for Anxiety
• Anxiety Relief

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Are you having trouble getting a good night’s sleep? If so, it would be a great idea to consider trying out some homeopathic sleep aids so that you sleep better. There are many homeopathic remedies that you can put to the test, so if you find out that one in particular doesn’t work, you can try another. Insomnia is a really troubling condition (e.g. effects of insomnia) and if you don’t ever try using some sort of therapy, your health is going to likely suffer due to lack of quality sleep. If some of the homeopathic sleep aid recommendations here do not help you out at all, it would be a great idea to see a medical professional (specifically a sleep specialist if at all possible).

Best Homeopathic Sleep Aids

Acupuncture Therapy – As I have mentioned in plenty of other articles, acupuncture works extremely well for some people. It is a popular, traditional Chinese homeopathic remedy for many things, including lack of sleep. For other people with sleep problems, it may not do much of anything. If you try this type of therapy with an open mind, you may find out that it works extremely well for minimizing stress.

Deep Breathing Techniques – Although you may not think that something as simple as “deep breathing” could help you fall asleep, you’d be really surprised. It is very relaxing to focus on your breathing and take deep breaths in and out. It is recommended to breathe in through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. Try to extend the breaths as long as possible and you will start to feel much more relaxed than you were before; it helps to close your eyes during this exercise as well.

Daytime Mediation – If you relax during the day, it will eliminate a lot of the stress that you experience at night that’s keeping you awake. Additionally, it will shift your brainwaves pattern to an alpha state (which is much more relaxing than rapid beta waves). Try meditating by focusing on breathing in and out with your eyes closed. Don’t take deep breaths, just focus on your breathing for 20 minutes and focus on it. If a thought comes into your mind, just dismiss it and focus back on your breathing. This exercise is very relaxing.

Early Morning Exercise – This will tire you out for the night and you won’t have as much energy to keep yourself awake past a reasonable hour. Exercise is a very easy homeopathic sleeping aid to use and is very effective. If you exercise hard, you are going to feel so tired by the time you go to bed that you’ll easily be able to fall asleep.

Herbal homeopathic sleeping aids – Most people take things like melatonin supplements, valerian root, and drink various types of tea to help them get better sleep. Most of these work very well and do a great job calming down the nervous system. If you are taking a natural sleep supplement, you will want to make sure that you are taking the right dosage so that you do not take too much of it.

Hopefully something in this article is able to provide you with some relief from your sleeping problem.  Otherwise you can check out these other sleep-related articles:

• Insomnia Relief
• How to Cure Insomnia
• Home Remedies for Insomnia
• Sleep Apnea Solutions
• Free Dream Interpretation

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If you have anxiety disorder, then you are probably sick and tired of feeling anxious in certain situations. Learning how to treat anxiety properly is key if you hope to overcome this mental phenomenon. Some people have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) which makes them more susceptible to feeling stressed and anxious in normal situations. If you have had to deal with anxiety, then chances are that it has been tough for you to come to terms with how it should be treated. Probably the hardest thing to do if you have anxiety is to learn the truth about it’s treatment.

How To Treat Anxiety Disorders

Therapy – A helpful therapist could be one of the best ways for you to learn techniques to overcome your anxiety. If you find a good therapist, it can make all the difference in the world. I personally had a lot of anxiety in social situations in the past, but was able to overcome a lot of it due to some very helpful advice given by my therapist.

Educate yourself – Reading books like “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyways” by Susan Jeffers is one of my personal favorites for fear and anxiety disorders. I would rather have knowledge and learn how to use it to overcome my problems as opposed to taking a pill. Based on personal experience, most medications lead to an array of other problems; if you can confront your disorder, it may be painful, but facing your fears is always better than avoiding them.

Psychological support – Psychologists can provide great advice and help you learn how to treat anxiety disorder problems that you are dealing with. Finding a good therapist or counselor can be just as effective as a psychologist though. Read reviews to find out which psychologists, therapists, and counselors have gotten good feedback from their clients; this will help you make a good decision.

Biofeedback – This is a newer treatment option, but is effective in some people at helping them relax and learning to take conscious control of their own body. I have done biofeedback before and walked out of my session feeling like I just took a nap. It may not work for everyone, but it’s worth giving a shot.

Relaxation Techniques – Meditation, guided hypnosis, visualization all help you decrease your beta brain waves (which cause anxiety) and move your brainwave state down to the alpha brain waves range (which is calming). Learning how to properly relax through various techniques like yoga and deep breathing can be extremely beneficial. They help with a lot of the physical symptoms (such as lowering adrenaline levels and cortisol (a stress hormone)).

Overcoming Anxiety, Fear, Stress, etc.

Learning how to treat severe anxiety can be difficult for most people, but it is certainly possible. Always talk to a professional if you want to figure out how to treat anxiety attacks and get your life back to normal. It may be one heck of a journey and personal growth experience as you learn to overcome your fears, but ultimately, it will be worth it to build up your skills and learn to surpass the problems that hold you down. Whether your problem is biological, environmental, or a combination of both, if you work hard to overcome your problem and put forth the right effort, you can certainly treat your anxiety.

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As the number of people playing video games rises, the impact of video games on the human brain becomes a more intriguing research area. Video games are gaining popularity with both children and adults. There is concern among the public that the brutality portrayed on television as well as within video games encourages aggressive behavior within its spectators. Critics of this theory remind us that we lack adequate evidence to support this assertion. However, there are some studies demonstrating a connection between video games and a hostile demeanor as well as disturbed eruptions.

New Brain Studies on Effects of Video Games on Children

Additionally, they have been shown to lower internal restraint. Perusal of these studies and my own experiences with children while they play video games has led me to believe that video games do in fact influence the actions and thoughts of the person playing them. So far it’s proven difficult to discern whether or not the player is impacted after the game has been shut off, or what the magnitude will be or how long that change might endure. Based on the thousands of studies and news pieces on the impact of the violent nature of some television shows, we can assume that violent scenes in video games also aggravate violent behavior.

There is a source who calls the research preliminary, but one has only to look at the results of completed research to see that habitual players of brutal games become desensitized to violence. An increase in aggressive behavior was reported in players while playing a very violent game as well as in those players who were exposed to only a mildly violent game. Playing the game with high levels of violence raised anxiety levels within players much more than within subjects who played less aggressive games.

How Video Games Affect Brain Function

It’s widely known that for some people video games incite at least temporary mental imbalance. Look around at devoted players who even play video games on their mobile phones while babbling to themselves excitedly as though they are alone. Visit an arcade and observe irritated players, who have no concern with public opinion as they hit or knock machines in their anger. Video games seem to engulf players, who sit heedless to their environment. Habitual players are also less inclined to share their feelings. When a player is absorbed by their video game playing, are there changes in the brain? Are these changes initiated by some altered brain state?

One researcher distributed his three hundred participants into three separate groups: people who seldom play; players logging just a few hours each week and heavy gamers, who played several hours a day. Alpha waves appear when the brain is in repose. Beta brain waves, on the other hand, signal animation and stress in the prefrontal region of the brain. The study exposed a larger reduction in beta waves correlated with more time spent playing video games. The players in the heavy gamer group showed a near constant absence of beta brainwave activity.

Relationship Between Video Games and Mental Health

This persisted despite turning the game off. This demonstrates a habitual restraint of prefrontal regions of their brains. These people barely ever used this region. These players reported being easily brought to anger, experiencing difficulty concentrating, as well as having to strain to mix with friends. A hostile demeanor is thought to be associated with curtailed use of the prefrontal region of the brain as well as diminished beta wave activity. Another researcher’s results caused him to arrive at the conclusion that game devotees can experience chronic underuse of key portions of the frontal brain region. This leads to an altered emotional state. This research documented that video games cause a lack of frontal brain use, which alters your mood. This would certainly explain hostile behavior.

Understanding how the autonomic nervous system is impacted by video games gives us a clearer picture. Agitation and alarm are incited by the play of many video games. Many people are worried that this could impact the autonomic nerves over the long-term. Breathing and heart rate are internal involuntary organ processes linked to the autonomic nerves. Emotional centers in your brain emit electrical signals that can elevate or lower heart rate. Epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and norepinephrine (also known as noradrenaline) are stress hormones in the body that act as message carriers within in the body.

Brain Activity During Video Games

These chemical gofers can also increase heart rate. Adrenal glands secrete these hormones in reaction to peril. There is ample research showing elevated blood pressure and heart rate as well as depletion of oxygen occurs while playing video games. This would indicate that the human brain believes the body is in actual jeopardy and is responding accordingly. Hence, the elevated heart rate. There are many reports of players disregarding their environment and instead viewing the game as the genuine experience.

This would signify that the players are impacted by the video games. Research has proven that an increase in heart rate and blood pressure occur while a person plays video games. Additionally, prefrontal lobe activity is lowered during game play. These increases could well be the cause for the shifts in attitude. The cause for the hostile behavior and emotionality can easily be explained by these physical changes. The research on the degree of the impact on the player after they stop playing is still in its infancy. Further analysis is still needed. There are a lot of new brain studies being conducted in this niche of psychology.  If you are interested more, consider reading the article that discusses the effects of video games on the brain – and how men are more likely to get addicted to playing than women.

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Today I definitely noticed some changes that continued from Day #5 and other new side-effects that you can read about below. Due to not having as much time to type this blog entry, my descriptions will be shorter and filled with less detail. I also wanted to be “clear” and “to-the-point” so that you all could understand what I experienced and whether I thought it was a significant side-effect.  I hope everyone had a great Christmas yesterday and is looking forward to a great 2009!

What I experienced today (Day #6)?

1.) Noticeably More Physical Relaxation

Today, I am definitely more physically relaxed than yesterday – and completely aware of it. From the moment that I woke up until now, I definitely feel that my body is more relaxed.  My arms and legs are just as loose / limp as they were yesterday and everything feels good.  I have a continued feeling of “looseness” that I have enjoyed throughout the day.  There aren’t a lot of specifics to describe – other than the fact that my body feels more relaxed than yesterday.

2.) Continued Slower Processing Speed / No “Deep” Thinking

It is Day #6 – and I continued to observe that my mental processing speed is slower than yesterday.  I think it’s due to a continued entrainment at 10Hz – which causes the majority of other waves to entrain at the 10 Hz level after my session.  I have maintained a good focus and am not distracted or unable to think clearly.  I definitely am not having any deep thoughts about life, the past, or the future – as I would if I were in the beta-range.  My thought speed has continued to slow – and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it continued to slow tomorrow – but we’ll see.

3.) Stable Energy In Stomach / Body

I still feel energy coming from the CORE of my stomach – but it feels as though I have adapted to it being there.  It is no longer bothersome or surging like it was a couple days back.  The flow of energy through my central stomach area has stabilized and my stomach feels nice and relaxed. I have been able to stay mentally clear and focused – and the typing of this entry seems very easy.  I am now wondering to myself whether or not it is the alpha entrainment that is causing me to be “less aware” of the effects than I would if I were in beta OR if it’s the adaptation to the alpha entrainment that’s causing reduced side-effects.

4.)  Continued “Weird Dreams” / Continued Deep Sleep

Last night I slept very deep, but had continued weird dreams.   In comparison to yesterday – the sleep quality did not change much.  I still felt very good when waking up this morning.  Last night was accompanied by weird dreams, but I don’t remember the details like I did the night before.  How do I know that I had weird dreams?  Because I woke up during the middle of the night due to dreams.  Definitely a continuation from Day #5 – things remained about the same (as far as sleep side effects).

5.) More Relaxation / Less Energy

Like yesterday, I woke up feeling extremely relaxed – my body felt very good.  There wasn’t an extreme change in my level of physical relaxation in comparison to yesterday – but it was noticeable.   Like yesterday, I also am experiencing less energy than yesterday.  I definitely wouldn’t describe myself as “lacking energy” like I did on Day #5, but I definitely am not as motivated to do certain things.

6.) More “Slow Thinking” / Better Conversation

I am more aware that my thinking has slowed down.  I am not thinking with nearly the mental speed that I normally do.  However – unlike yesterday, I have had some great conversations today.  I noticed that I was more spontaneous than I have been the entire week.  Though I have had my mind go nearly blank “mid-conversation” like yesterday – it was easy to deal with.  Though I feel like I converse at an optimal level in the beta-state, I feel like I can handle myself well in alpha.

7.) Negative Mood / Feeling “Crabby”

A continued effect from yesterday from what I described as a “slightly more negative mood” – has continued today.  Only unlike yesterday, I would say that my mood is in fact “slightly negative.”  I have found myself feeling irritated with things that normally don’t upset me.  I believe that it’s due to less overall “thinking,” but I am not sure.  I found myself dropping “swear words” – in sentences that didn’t even need them.  I felt a need to express more anger and upsetting emotion.  Little things got on my nerves today – and I am hoping that it doesn’t continue tomorrow.  I am trying to stay aware of what I say and my actions – but some sentences that I said today were purely from impulse.  I wasn’t thinking about what I was saying while I said it OR before I said it.  I feel what I would describe as “crabby” – a feeling that I do not often experience, so it’s definitely something major to take note of.

PREVIOUSLY: Day #5: 10Hz Alpha Brain Waves Entrainment Experiment

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In continuation of my 10hz alpha brainwave entrainment series, this is officially Day #3.  I’m feeling very good and though I have had a few slight side-effects that were unexpected, I have also experienced more benefits than were expected.  After finishing a 20 minute session last night of the [non-ramped] alpha entrainment and a 20 minute session this morning of the 20 minute [non-ramped] alpha entrainment, you can read about my experiences below.

What I experienced today (Day #3)?

1.) More physically relaxed than yesterday

It has definitely been easy to gauge my level of physical relaxation in comparison to previous days.  Today, I feel the most relaxed I have thus far in the series.  My entire wingspan (arms), in addition to my legs, and my stomach feel completely relaxed and calm.  My body has a feeling of “lightness” to it that I have not experienced in a long time.  I literally feel like JELLO – completely loose and limp.

2.) Mental Relaxation / Slower Processing / Slightly Lightheaded

Today I feel not only more physically at ease, but I can tell that I have become more mentally relaxed [than yesterday] as well.  I am not thinking deeply about anything and my mental processing speed has significantly slowed… (Now would not be a good time for me to do any extreme writing).  It is of much higher difficulty for me than yesterday to write this blog entry.

Throughout the experience, I began to notice that after my session last night, I experienced a feeling of being lightheaded – something I haven’t experienced much of before.  The lightheadedness is continuing throughout this morning after my session, but it isn’t extreme enough to be a distraction.  I am not sure what to think of it, but I believe that it’ll eventually fade away once I get started with some of my normal daily activities.

3.) Stronger CORE Energy From Center

It’s relatively easy to describe what I’m experiencing with this “boosted” core energy.  Basically, what I’m feeling is an increased energy from inside my stomach area – in the center, directly below my heart area.  To me it feels like emotional energy mixed with feelings of excitement.  Though it is stronger than yesterday, I have a feeling that it will be even stronger tomorrow.

4.) Contentment / Less Irritability / Desensitization

I feel as though I’m very content with how I feel right now and my life.  I am no longer having any feeling of irritability like I was on Day #1.  I feel much less concerned with things that would normally stress me out.  The best word I can use to describe my situation would be “desensitization” – which vaguely means I am not as mentally concerned / stressed-out with minor things that before may have made me stressed, or that I may have been concerned about.

One example is music volume level.  Before doing these few sessions, I was very adament about keeping my music volume at a low level – a volume that I was sure would be safe for my hearing.  After doing a few alpha sessions, I am no longer as hardcore about being a “volume Nazi.” If something’s too loud, I will turn it down, but I found myself listening to music and playing the TV at louder volumes than I normally do – likely because I am less mentally stimulated [affected] by what’s going on in my environment; much less than I would be if I were in the beta range.

5.) Laziness As A Product Of Relaxation

One thing that I had not noticed of myself was becoming more lazy as a result of relaxation.  I almost skipped my workout last night because I wanted to listen to more music and watch TV.  I felt incredibly comfortable and like I didn’t want to get my behind off the couch.  I wanted to chill out and continue enjoying what was on TV and continue to replay music on my iTunes playlist.

Luckily, I was able to overcome my mental idling and get myself moving for a workout.  Of course once I got into my workout, I felt very good and like I had plenty of energy to finish burning my 700 Calories.  With that said, after my session today, I noticed that I felt even lazier – I felt like I wanted to skip typing this blog entry, but I overcame that feeling [as is apparent by this entry].

6.) Old Memories Resurfacing / Internal Awareness

I noticed that old memories resurfaced – memories that I completely forgot existed.  One of them included a childhood experience about when I went trick-or-treating.  Another was of a day when I gave a speech at my elementary school.  Many childhood friendships and classmates were brought to my awareness.  All of the memories seemed to be completely random, but I thought they were great.

As these memories kept randomly appearing, I attribute part of the recollection to be due to the fact that I am more internally aware of myself today than I was before I started the experiment.  More “introverted” than normal – is how I’d describe the feeling.  What’s interesting is the fact that most people associate feeling “introverted” as being a bad thing – but I can testify to the fact that it feels extremely pleasing.

7.) Much deeper sleep / refreshed

One thing that I did consciously notice was the fact that I experienced much deeper sleep than before.  I know that I turned off my alarm this morning and slept 2 hours past the time it was set for.  It wasn’t difficult to get out of bed when I awoke – I wasn’t feeling groggy, but I felt like I slept extremely well – in comparison to how well I normally sleep.

“Did you sleep well last night? No, I made a few mistakes” – Stephen Wright <<< In reference to Stephen Wright’s quote I feel like I was mistake-free the entire night. I also felt extremely refreshed after waking up – as well as after my entrainment session this morning.  This leads me to believe that 10hz alpha is likely a frequency that revitalizes the body and the mind.  Hopefully the experiment will continue to go well.  Continue following the blog, or subscribe for the updates.

PREVIOUSLY: Day #2: 10 Hz Alpha Brain Waves Entrainment Experiment

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Well, like I said – I was going to post each day about my experiences dealing with the 10 Hz alpha brain waves that I have been listening to: 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night before I go to bed.  Thus, far my results have been fairly interesting – though it is only Day #2 of the Series.  I have done a grand total of three sessions thus far – two yesterday and one this morning.  Read below and find out what I experienced in Day #2 of this experiment in comparison to Day #1 (yesterday).

What I experienced today (Day #2)?

1.) Deeper physical relaxation…Again

Though I didn’t feel as deeply relaxed as last time, I did feel more physical relaxation after session number two than the first session.  My body is “mellow” and my arms & legs feel much looser.  Though I wasn’t aware of feeling as relaxed as before, the 10 Hz session this morning definitely helped.  Last night before I went to bed, I listened to the session and had a deeper relaxation effect than I did this morning (but that could be due to the fact that I was pretty tired before taking a listen) – though I did manage to easily stay awake the entire time.

2.) Deeper mental relaxation… Different state of awareness.

Like the effects resulting from yesterday’s session, I also feel more mentally relaxed than before.  I feel slightly spaced out, but much more focused than I did on Day #1 of the experiment.  My brain has definitely slowed down some and I do notice an affect on my consciousness (state of awareness).  My thoughts are not nearly as “deep” as they were before and I feel like I am more part of this exact moment in time – as I don’t have thoughts rushing about the future or past.  I also feel extremely refreshed – just as refreshed as yesterday, which is definitely a pleasant feeling.

3.) More Internal / CORE energy

After my 20 minute alpha session today I noticed that I felt like I had more energy coming from the CORE of my stomach area.  And, unlike yesterday, I do not feel quite as “emotional.” I am not feeling “very powerful” emotions, but I can tell that my emotions are there.  I am also more aware of this “internal energy” stemming from the center of my body between my stomach area and chest.

I do not feel “negative” or “depressing” emotions like I felt yesterday… In fact I feel extremely chilled out and relaxed.  This session has slowed down my brain significantly from the high-beta brain waves range that I was in before.  It feels to me like I’m in a state of awareness that’s a safe place to be: not too much mental activity, not too powerful of emotions.  It feels good and I feel “content.”

4.) Less Irritability & More Desensitized

After the session ended yesterday, I wrote about experiencing “irritability.”  Both yesterday and today I got plenty of sleep and didn’t make any major changes in my routine throughout my day – continuing to exercise and go about other activities as I normally would. Unlike yesterday, hearing the dog bark and other noises coming from outside did not seem to phase me.  I felt pretty mellow and “desensitized” to the barking.  Nothing minor is upsetting or rev’s me up in the slightest.  This makes me think that yesterday was just some sort of weird transition that I was experiencing.

5.) Slower mental speed / processing

Though I feel that I am not as able to “think quick” during conversations or be as “witty” as I was before, it doesn’t really bother me.  I know that if I ever want to think quick on my feet and perform at my peak for conversations that I can do some beta entrainment or beta neurofeedback to help shift my awareness.  The alpha brain wave range is obviously slower than the beta-range – but not as slow as the theta range – which explains my feeling of a calm state that’s “neither dominated by thoughts or emotions.”

As quoted from yesterday, “Tasks like writing, reading, organizing thoughts, and conversation are usually easier for people already in the beta-brain wave range.” With that said, I am feeling different than yesterday, I can type fairly easily with a good level of concentration.  I haven’t had to “go back and edit” my work nearly as much as yesterday.  But, there still could be some grammatical mistakes….haha *Apologies if there are.

6.) Continued Internal Awareness…

Though I do find myself more apt to focusing on external things than yesterday, my internal awareness has increased tremendously.  I feel much more self aware.  This morning I ate a fairly late breakfast and noticed that before eating breakfast I had a strong urge to get food in my body.  My stomach was literally screaming at me to feed it.  Normally if I eat later, I am not aware of my stomach begging for food.

Here’s what I noticed yesterday about “feeling more full”:

I normally don’t think much about “being full” after eating breakfast, but I found myself aware that I felt full inside after eating and doing my first session.  I also mentioned a much more powerful ability to be aware of my emotions – which I also classify as internal awareness.

I am also more physically aware of what’s happening inside my body.  Though I feel less aware of my thoughts, I am more aware of my entire body.  I am noticing slight internal cues form my body that I normally do not pick up on.  I will continue to let everyone know how I am effected by this 10Hz alpha entrainment as I begin to experiment tonight and tomorrow morning.  Day #2′s journal is done.  Feel free to click the link below and compare my experience from Day #1.

PREVIOUSLY: Day #1: 10 Hz Alpha Brain Waves Entrainment Experiment

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I posted yesterday letting everyone know that I’ve decided to kick off a 7-Day Series of brain wave entrainment – hoping to get a new experience (in comparison to my old trial)… This series will feature me writing my experience on this blog for each of the seven days in a journal-like format…  I will be writing after my morning entrainment session for everybody to follow.  It’s been about 5 minutes since finishing my 10 Hz (customized) Alpha Brain Waves session with Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional software – so let’s hear how the session affected me on Day #1 after twenty minutes of 10 hz alpha entrainment.

What I experienced today (Day #1)?

1.) Deeper physical relaxation

The very first thing that I noticed after my first session ended was that I felt more physically relaxed than normally.  I could tell that the session had a very noticeable effect at making my entire body more mellow.  My arms feel relaxed, my legs feel relaxed – and the biggest effect that the session had on me was in the stomach area.  Right in the middle of my chest / stomach, I feel the deepest sense of relaxation that I have in a long time.

2.) Deeper mental relaxation

In addition to my physical body relaxing more, my brain felt much more relaxed as well.  I believe that slowing down the brain is a good thing in certain cases, but too much of it would severely hinder performance at doing things like complex math problems and understanding abstract concepts or theories.

Though my brain is slowed down, it feels pleasant.  It feels like I don’t need to worry about what I’m thinking… My brain seems to think for itself and wander on its own.  I do still feel some control over what I’m thinking, but it’s not nearly as strong of conscious control as I normally do.  With that said, the deeper mental relaxation felt highly refreshing, even though I did my session in the morning (within 2 hours of waking – after eating breakfast).

3.) More emotional / emotionally aware

After just one 20 minute alpha session, I noticed that I felt more emotional, especially from the place in my body that felt the deepest sense of relaxation – the middle of my stomach.  I have not felt very powerful emotions for a long time, but I do know that strong emotions are linked to the slower brain wave states like theta and alpha.  It’s not that people in the beta range aren’t likely to experience emotions, it’s just that they will not be as powerful as they would in a primarily alpha or theta state of mind.

Another thing that’s interesting is the fact that I’m much more aware of having these strong emotions after my session.  I usually do not even “think” much about my emotions – and actually do not usually feel much of any emotion this strong at all… Though the emotions I’m experiencing seem to be what I would label as “negative” & “depressing” – it was likely due to my brain’s brain waves coming into this session.  People in a high-beta brain waves state would likely not experience what I have experienced – because I was likely in a normal (low-mid) beta state coming into this session.

4.) Slight irritability

After the session ended, I heard the snow plow plowing the road right outside and noticed myself getting upset and angry at the plow for making noise while I’m trying to type this blog entry.  Something like “noise” from a snow plow would normally not bother me.  The reason I’m putting down “slight irritability” as a side-effect of my experience is because I am not what I would call “irritable.”  I still have conscious control over the expression of my emotions, but minor things seem to piss me off…

Another experience I had was with my dog barking.  I normally do not get emotionally revved up when I hear my dog bark, but after doing Day #1 of the 10 Hz Alpha Brainwave session, I found myself getting upset at him barking because it was throwing off my ability to concentrate on writing this blog entry.

5.) Slower mental speed / processing

I definitely noticed that I am not able to think as quickly as before – which makes perfect sense… Think about it, if my brain was in the beta-range (like most normal individuals other than children), I would have quicker mental speed, and be more aware of my physical environment.  It makes perfect sense for me to be experiencing mental slowness compared to what I was experiencing before (likely in the beta-range).

Tasks like writing, reading, organizing thoughts, and conversation are usually easier for people already in the beta-brain wave range.  Right now it seems pretty difficult for me (compared to before) to type a blog entry that makes sense.  I’ve had to go back and edit my sentences much more often than I normally do.

6.) More internal awareness

Instead of focusing on external things (i.e. people, objects, activity) in my environment (like I normally do), I found myself being more aware of what’s going on inside my body.  I normally don’t think much about “being full” after eating breakfast, but I found myself aware that I felt full inside after eating and doing my first session.  I also mentioned a much more powerful ability to be aware of my emotions – which I also classify as internal awareness.

I do not know whether the brain waves changed my body and mind in a way that makes me more emotional OR whether alpha brain wave entrainment just made me more aware of my inner emotions…  OR if it was a combination of the alpha brain waves’ affecting my body and mind in addition to shifting my awareness (more internal) that made the change.  I look forward to continuing the experiment tonight / tomorrow morning.  I will hopefully be as thorough as this entry here.

PREVIOUSLY: Alpha Brain Waves “10Hz” Experiment Information

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Ever wonder why some people are able to be hyper-productive each morning? It’s because their brains are ready for the day at an early time, they get their “neurons firing” and brain working. Fortunately, there are many great exercises that you can use to help get yourself moving each morning. This will help increase your brain activity and get your ready for the day ahead. Learning to create positive, healthy habits each morning is a great way to improve the overall health of your brain. Read below and you will find plenty of great activities that you can use each morning before work or school to help you kick your brain into gear!

Try Taking a Cool Shower. I know what you are thinking: “taking a cold shower is ridiculous.” And I agree, taking a cold shower is ridiculous. With that said, it does a great job at getting us motivated and it definitely “wakes up” our brains. If you’ve never tried to take a shower in the morning, try it sometime and see how you feel. I usually never intentionally take a cold shower, but ended up taking plenty in my lifetime.

The washing machine would be running and suck up the warm water in the winter and I’d get a nice dose of cold water in the morning. Sure it doesn’t feel very pleasant, but it definitely does the job. Each time a cold shower ends, I feel alert, energetic, and ready to have a productive morning. If you don’t like taking cold showers, feel free to compromise by taking a “cool shower.” – It will likely do the job too!

Listen to Some Energetic Music. For those who really want to wake up feeling charged, create a CD or playlist that is motivating, inspiring, or that has a quick tempo. Fast-paced music forces people to want to start moving. Maybe you’d like to start your day by playing an upbeat mix of tunes and dancing to them! You’d get a little workout, plus you’d feel pumped up and ready to take on the world after you were done. Who knows, maybe you’d even feel like taking a *cold shower! Haha.

Get Plenty of Sleep. It can be very difficult to have a great morning every day if you aren’t getting adequate sleep the night before! Each person needs a different amount of sleep: some individuals are able to run on 5 hours effectively, while others need over 8 hours. Either way, be sure you are meeting your individual sleep requirements. Getting plenty of sleep the night before allows you to wake up easier in the morning, and truly take advantage of your mornings. I have done plenty of sleep research and it seems that “going to sleep when you are tired” + “waking up at the same time each morning” is the optimal sleep strategy.

Have Fruit Juice with Breakfast. Whether you are a fan of either coffee or green tea, fruit juice is yet another alternative. Having a hearty glass of Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Grape Juice, Pineapple Juice, etc. will be a great way to start up your brain in the morning. All of these juices contain healthy amounts of sugars, nutrients, and vitamins that will lace your brain cells with plenty of energy that they will be able to utilize throughout almost the entire day to communicate with one another. My personal favorite is to drink a big glass of Orange Juice, but all types of fruit juice are extremely healthy. Each will ensure a high-performance brain state in the morning.

Set an Alarm Clock. Most people set alarm clocks in order to wake up in time for their work shift or school classes. Whether they know it or not, setting an alarm clock is suggested to ensure a productive, mentally stimulating morning. We know it is optimal to “go to bed when you are tired” and to “wake up at the same time each day.”

In attempt to wake up at the same time each day, it can be difficult to do without an alarm clock. I intentionally set my alarm clock away from my bed because it forces me to make my tired butt “get up.” Once I wake up and walk over to my alarm clock, I feel tired, but I am able to stay awake and boost up my brain each morning!

Many people believe that it is good to literally “jump out of bed” as if someone dumped ice water on your face. While that method is a great way to get your brain amped for the day, another way is to massage your body. Massage your face, arms, legs, and slowly work your way up. I prefer the quick “jack-in-the-box” method, but either way works! There is nothing wrong with sleeping in, other than you will miss out on taking advantage of [your brain and] the morning.

Wake up to the Smell of Freshly Brewed Coffee. Waking up to the smell of coffee is easy to accomplish if you enjoy drinking coffee. There is even some research that suggests just from the aroma of coffee, brain activity will increase along with your physical energy level. It is important to remember, though, that you should strive to drink coffee in “moderation.” Too much coffee and your brain waves will shift to a rapid pattern (high-beta). This will likely leave you stressed out and anxious. Too little coffee and you won’t reap the brain boosting effects. I personally don’t drink coffee in the morning, but scientific data suggests that coffee in moderation can actually be a great way to boost electrical activity in your brain in the morning!

Consider Drinking Green Tea. If you aren’t the type of person who likes to drink coffee, you may want to consider drinking some tea instead! Green Tea and other teas have been proven to be great for your brain. They boost activity and provide you with healthy nutrients that will stay in your body throughout the entire morning. I have found Green Tea to be very calming. It soothes and relaxes my body, yet it seems to get my brain ready for the day! It tastes great, smells great, and is great to drink in the morning before eating breakfast.

Turn on the Lights, Get a Dose of Sunshine. It makes it increasingly difficult to fully wake up or stay awake when you feel as if you are in a dark cave! Turn on some bright lights in the morning and let light shine in through your windows. A good habit to get into is opening up the blinds on your windows! Light is great for boosting brain power and activity. Natural sunlight is the best, but lightboxes are a great way to get started too! People with S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) – get depressed in the winter due to lack of natural sunlight.

This suggests that sunlight has a direct effect on the activity in our brains. When we deprive our brains of light, we will stay in a groggy, sleeplike state of consciousness – that is, until we feed our brain some sunlight! Bright light clears the fog from this slower [theta] brain wave state and shifts our brain wave activity to [beta] higher frequencies. These higher frequencies promote a happy, active brain / state of mind. Sunlight also triggers the release of certain neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine – both of which are great for brain health. Any form of powerful light in the morning is great for promoting a healthy circadian rhythm and amping up your overall brain power.

Get Some Fresh Air in the House. Open up some windows in the morning! Sure it may feel a little bit chilly, but you can bet that it will make you want to wake up. Fresh air flowing through the house feels very soothing and revitalizing in the morning. Hearing the birds chirp, wind blow, and other sounds of nature is a great way to experience morning. Try it sometime and see how you like it. Obviously, though, on hot days or super cold days, you’d be a fool not to use the air conditioner or heater.

Utilize the Power of Your Brain Waves. Many people aren’t yet aware of the great brainwave entrainment software that is on the market or what it can do for them. Let’s just say it is a phenomenal way to get your morning started. You can program your brain to produce relaxed, yet alert brain wave patterns.

You can also get a jolt similar to what you get from coffee in the morning, but without the “burnout effect.” Entraining your brain waves is a phenomenal way to amp up your brain power each morning. Any session in the mid-beta to high-beta brain wave range will do a great job at getting you mentally prepared for the day. You will likely feel a huge energy boost after listening! Be sure to check out my recommended products section for the best brainwave entrainment products on the market. I personally use Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional and Mind Stereo and they can turn my morning into a miracle.

Eat a Hearty Breakfast. Eating a healthy, hearty breakfast is one of the single most powerful ways to prepare both your body and brain for the rest of the day. Researchers have always made emphasis on breakfast being the most important meal of the day. Why? Because it is the first time you’ve eaten anything for a long period of time. Breakfast gives your brain vital nutrients that it needs in order to optimally carry out mental processes the rest of the day.

If you’ve ever skipped breakfast, you know that you likely feel tired, mentally fogged, or unfocused throughout your morning and possibly the entire day! Think of breakfast as filling up your cars gas tank when it’s almost empty. If you forget to fill up with gas, you will either be running on fumes or you won’t get to your destination.

Same goes for your brain, it will either scavenge up whatever nutritional resources it had from the night before, or you will be running on “E.” Running without breakfast means that your mental performance will significantly decline! For this reason, it is important to include healthy brain foods such as: eggs, milk, fresh fruits, whole grains, and bran cereal in your morning diet! Always try to fill up the tank before you start your day!

Start the Day with Physical Exercise. When you start the day with exercise, you start the day with power. We already know that exercise is a great activity for your mind and body. It boosts energy levels, and leaves people feeling replenished, happy, and mentally clear. Exercise is an easy way to shake the sleepiness and kick-start your metabolism.

When you exercise in the morning, you also have the entire rest of your day to do other activities! Take your pets for a stroll through the park, hit the gym, or go running. Biking, rollerblading, swimming, and walking with friends are also great activities. Exercising in the morning is a great way to start each day with a powerful boost of energy.

Consider taking vitamin supplements. Taking vitamin and mineral supplements each day is definitely not a bad thing – especially if you aren’t quite sure whether or not you are getting an adequate amount of vitamins via your diet. I personally take a multivitamin each morning just as a safe measure. They are good for the health of your body, brain, and have been scientifically proven to be healthy. Though there is controversy as to whether or not popping a multivitamin pill each morning is the best option, it definitely won’t hurt. If you can afford taking vitamins, I recommend you take them just for good measure.

Visualize – See the Big Picture. Each time you plan out your day, it helps if you visualize. Close your eyes and use your imagination. Focus on picturing each and every task in which you hope to accomplish today. Visualize your life and how you’d like it to be. Feel free to use positive affirmations or goal statements to help boost your energy. Using visualization is a powerful way to start each morning. It is a phenomenal mental exercise that prepares you for all of the upcoming events in your schedule.

Add a Meditation Routine to Your Morning. Many people find it very helpful to include a meditation routine in their mornings. Research has shown that people who meditate each day for at least 15 minutes enjoy increased energy, mental activity, calmness, and alertness than those who don’t meditate. If you have never tried meditation [in the morning], be sure to give it a shot. It has potential to keep your brain cells, brain activity, and mental state at their peak for nearly the entire day. Mental reflection in the morning is great: your mind is wandering and you can easily recall experiences to reflect upon.

Do a Crossword Puzzle. There are many great mental exercises that you can perform each morning that will help keep your brain fit. Crossword puzzles, Sudokus, Brain Games, and solving math problems are all great ways to improve your mental quickness and dexterity each morning. If you enjoy reading the newspaper each morning, feel free to flip to the crossword puzzle section and test your memory or a Sudoku page and test your quickness.

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading “Benefits of Alpha and Theta Brain Waves.”

Slower brain waves can keep us healthier: mentally and physically

Utilizing brainwave entrainment consistently can definitely yield many health-related benefits. Using alpha brain waves can result in calmness, peacefulness, and relaxation – which helps block stress from crippling our immune system. Boosting theta brain waves can improve our health by making us feel younger, giving us more energy, and improving our immune system. And finally, delta brain waves allow us to produce anti-aging hormones, they boost our immune system, and allow our body to replenish itself. Each of those “slower brain waves” sound like they can produce wonderful health benefits. It definitely sounds wonderful that these “slower brain waves” are able to do such a phenomenal job at keeping us healthy.

Powerful relaxation and better overall wellbeing

A common benefit to increasing the amount of slow brain waves [i.e. alpha, theta, delta] in your brain is feeling deeply relaxed. Scientists have found that when the brain is in slower brain wave states [like alpha and theta], it produces specific hormones and “neuropeptides.” These hormones and neuropeptides that are produced have been linked to boosted memory, creativity, and ability to learn.

Each time you lower the baseline frequency of your brain waves, the more you will feel the healthy anti-stress, anti-aging hormones and neuropeptides. These naturally boost your overall level of relaxation and wellbeing. What the slower brain waves also do is increase the amount of beneficial neurotransmitters and endorphins in the brain. For example: using alpha and theta brain waves will increase your overall level of relaxation by increasing the production of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is an extremely helpful neurotransmitter that has been linked to both mental and physical relaxation. Also, certain slower brainwave frequencies produce endorphins which make us feel good – like a “natural high.”

For these reasons, virtually any time you utilize brainwave entrainment, neurofeedback, meditation, or even yoga, you are able to feel more relaxed and peaceful. What do all of the mentioned exercises have in common? Though they may all be “different forms” of exercising your brain, in the end, they will all slow down your brain waves.

Why you feel “a natural high” after running

Though you may not know it or remember it, you’ve likely experienced “a natural high” – also known as, your body bein flooded with the production of endorphins. Each time that you go for a run or do any form of hard cardiovascular exercise, endorphins are released. Most people have experienced the benefits of endorphins; whether it be after a long run, basketball game, or other sporting event.

Though you will usually feel very exhausted and were very sweaty after a hard workout, you will also usually feel very good. After working out we naturally feel physically relaxed [and tired], plus – we feel mentally relaxed and calm. Though I highly recommend exercise to increase your overall level of wellbeing, it is not the only activity that will make you feel good by producing endorphins. Any time you utilize brainwave entrainment, neurofeedback, meditation, or yoga, in order to slow your brain waves, you will probably feel the same endorphins ["natural high"] that you did after a strenuous workout.

How endorphins boost our cognition [i.e. memory and learning]

Though you already know that endorphins allow our bodies to feel a natural high, you may not have known that each time we enter an alpha or theta brain wave state, specific endorphins kick-in that actually boost our overall cognition; they improve our memory and ability to learn. Scientific research has proved that in rats that were injected with endorphins had improved memories – they also were able to run through mazes more quickly. Research has also shown that the production of endorphins can actually reverse amnesia – [a condition in which memory is disrupted].

Researchers have also thought that the parts of the brain that are involved in the production of endorphins, are the exact same areas that are involved with memory and learning. One study even proposed that each time we learn – our brain releases endorphins to reward itself and to help us store our memories. This is why memorizing and ability to learn are boosted each time we have increased production of endorphins in our brains.

Increased endorphins in our brain has been linked to theta and alpha brain wave states of consciousness. Think about it: each time we are able to slow our brain waves to the alpha and / or theta range, it is naturally easier for us to drop our old beliefs and literally “learn” new beliefs. This is why you may have heard that slowing your brain waves down to theta and alpha ranges allows you to re-program your beliefs.

How alpha and theta brain waves boost our learning abilities

Catecholamines, acetylcholine, and vasopressin, are three [among many] of the beneficial hormones and other helpful neuropeptides that are produced in slower brain wave frequencies. Studies have shown that acetylcholine is vital for long term memory. They have also found that when acetylcholine production [in the brain] is high, we experience boosts in our long-term memory. More studies have found that when individuals take supplements that boost the production of acetylcholine in the brain, they are better at learning and have improved memories.

Individuals who have lower levels of acetylcholine usually struggle with tasks involving learning and memory. Individuals with the devastating Alzheimer’s disease usually have very low levels of acetylcholine. Theta brain waves have been specifically linked to the production of the neuropeptide vasopressin – a neuropeptide which improves reaction time, ability to learn, and ability to remember. Theta brain waves also have the ability to produce catecholamines which aid once again in our learning process and memory.

Boosted attention and alertness

It is not only our production of neuropeptides that allows us to learn more effectively in slower brainwave patterns. Because theta and alpha brain wave states are linked to relaxation, we experience decreased blood pressure, heart rate, and our entire body feels relaxed. This boosts the overall oxygen level in our brains and maximizes bloodflow to our cortex. This naturally boosts our attention span and level of alertness. Boosted attention and alertness makes it much easier to memorize and learn new things.

Slower brain waves and feeling young again

Are you a person that wishes you could get back some of the same energy you had when you were a kid? Though there are many products on the market to help you: look younger, feel more energetic, happier, and healthier, many do not work. Why? Because they don’t target your brain waves! Research has found that patterns of delta brain waves, theta brain waves, and alpha brain waves, positively affect the production of the hormones: melatonin, DHEA, and cortisol. These three brain wave patterns are able to slow aging, boost relaxation, and increase our overall wellbeing.

In the alpha and theta brain wave ranges, the amount of melatonin and DHEA is significantly boosted in our brains. Research has discovered that DHEA can increase over 50% in certain cases! Even more impressive were the studies on melatonin. Researchers found that slower brain waves boosted the production of melatonin by 300% in some cases! Average melatonin increases were nearly 100%… On top of all the other benefits, the production of cortisol – [a stress hormone usually produced by high-beta brain waves], declined by nearly 50%!

Increase anti-aging hormones

As mentioned earlier, the hormone “cortisol” is a powerful stress hormone that has potential to actually kill brain cells. It has been linked to sped-up aging, health problems, anxiety, and stress. Because of the problems associated with cortisol, it can have a significantly negative impact on our memory, ability to learn, and our overall wellbeing. It is definitely not favorable to have high levels of cortisol floating around in your body.

With that said, DHEA is a hormone that you want to have plenty of in your body. Like cortisol, it is produced by our adrenal glands. Usually, in your twenties, DHEA production will reach its maximum. In your thirties, DHEA production declines and as you age – it continues to decline. Individuals who are over 70 have roughly 1/5th the amount of DHEA as an individual in their twenties. When our DHEA levels drop low, we are more susceptible to developing disease, getting sick, and aging quickly. The higher we keep our levels of DHEA, the less likely we are to get sick, become stressed out, or speed up our aging process.

Lastly, we notice significant improvements with the hormone melatonin. Melatonin has been linked to better, more restful sleep. You already know that sleep is very beneficial for replenishing the brain and body with vital neurotransmitters and hormones. Each time we get a quality night’s sleep, we help ward off the aging process. When we get poor quality sleep, we speed up our aging process. Like DHEA, the amount of melatonin produced in our bodies declines as we get older. For this reason, it is important to lower our brain waves to the alpha and theta rhythms and boost our melatonin levels.

Why slower brain waves release helpful neurotransmitters

Hopefully, you now fully [or better] understand that when you increase your alpha, theta, and delta brain waves [slower brain waves] your brain naturally increases the production of beneficial hormones. This is why many people [including researchers] consider activities such as: brainwave entrainment, meditation, and yoga to be beneficial. Have you ever questioned why the brain produces these helpful hormones and neurotransmitters in the slower brainwave frequencies?

Well, according to scientific research, neurons ["brain cells"] are electrochemically triggered to produce certain neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and certain hormones at certain brainwave frequencies. Neurons are almost “activated” to produce certain neurochemicals when they are interacting with certain brainwave frequencies. Think of brain waves as communication in the brain. The neurons and the brain communicate by sending specific brainwave frequencies.

This is why each time your brain waves are slowed to the alpha range or theta range, they produce different, more helpful neurochemicals than they would in the beta range. Slowing your brain waves with entrainment is comparable to sending a direct message to your brain cells to start creating helpful neurochemicals. The concept is easy to understand too. Each time you get a quality night’s sleep, your brain shifts to the lower theta and delta ranges.

When you wake up, you usually feel like your energy supply has been replenished… That’s because your energy supply was replenished by the delta and theta brain waves. They produced many helpful, healing hormones and neurotransmitters while you were asleep! Though slower brain waves tend to have a lot of health-related benefits, you should never rule out your beta brain waves. Each brain wave has something helpful to offer / bring to the table.

5 Main Types Of Brainwaves:

1. Beta Brainwaves
2. Alpha Brainwaves
3. Theta Brainwaves
4. Delta Brainwaves
5. Gamma Brainwaves

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading Understanding The “Alpha Brainwave”.

Alpha brain waves are the second fastest in the lineup of basic brain wave frequencies [beta, alpha, theta, delta] – beta waves being the fastest. Alpha brain waves are usually in the range of frequencies between 8 Hz – 12 Hz. Alpha waves are very easy to notice on the E.E.G. – they are very strong, smooth brain waves.

An interesting factoid: alpha brainwaves were the first brainwave group to be researched and the first group to be discovered. The alpha brain wave rhythm is also considered to be the “safest” of the brain wave frequencies to use during brainwave entrainment and neurofeedback. Why? Because out of all four groups of brain waves [beta, alpha, theta, delta], alpha waves usually yield the most benefits via entrainment and rarely produce any unwanted side-effects.

Alpha brainwaves bridge the conscious mind with the subconscious

Alpha brain waves allow you to understand what is going on in your subconscious mind after meditation and after dreaming. Without the presence of alpha waves in your E.E.G. after dreaming, your brain would not be able to transfer subconscious information to the conscious mind. Alpha waves are the connection that allows information to be transfered between subconscious and conscious. Each time you remember a dream that you had, you used alpha brain waves.

Each time that you visualize or go into meditation, your alpha brain waves likely kicked in. Alpha waves are a key part of providing clear, vivid visualization sessions. They allow you to use your imagination, tap your subconscious creativity, and express the creativity through your conscious mind. The alpha waves are usually also at work each time you daydream or use your imagination.

Why alpha brain waves are called “alpha brain waves”

Dr. Hans Berger who was a psychiatrist from Austria first discovered electrical waves in the brain in the year 1908. Berger called these electrical waves “alpha brain waves” due to the fact that they were the first brain wave to be discovered. Another interesting fact about Dr. Hans Berger is the fact that he was the inventor of the E.E.G. machine, better known as an electroencephalograph. The E.E.G. machine is what allows researchers, scientists, and neurofeedback practitioners to understand brainwave activity.

It works by amplifying, recording, and creating graphs of electrical activities in the brain. After using the E.E.G., researchers quickly found other forms of brain activity. Beta waves were discovered next, then delta waves, then theta waves. After all the basic brain waves were discovered, gamma brain waves were found.

Eventually, in the 1950′s, scientists discovered that it was indeed possible for individuals to learn to take full conscious control over their brainwaves. These scientists learned that meditation allowed people to slow their brain waves from the common beta range down to theta and alpha waves.

Know when you access “alpha brain waves”

Each time that you are daydreaming or not fully awake, you are in the alpha brain wave range. The state of mind ‘right-before’ you fall asleep is usually comprised of lots of alpha brain waves. Individuals who lack normal amounts of alpha brain waves usually have insomnia, anxiety, sleep disorders, or high stress. This is why increasing alpha waves for overstressed people can be extremely effective at helping them fall asleep.

I can personally vouch for the use of alpha brain waves to fall asleep. In fact, I used them last night to put me out! I played a 10 Hz alpha brain wave created session and within 10 minutes, I was asleep – I didn’t even know about it. They can be a great tool when utilized effectively! Other times that your brain uses alpha brain waves includes: each time you watch T.V., each time you are relaxing, each mediation session, each time you close your eyes, each time you breathe deeply, or feel completely relaxed during a hot / steamy shower.

For information on how you can increase the production of alpha brain waves in your brain, check out the article 20 Ways To Murder Stress. About 5 of the activities mentioned in that article will do a great job at increasing alpha production. Any time you feel relaxation, your alpha waves are at work! Each time that you feel both mentally and physically relaxed, you are in a state of alpha brain waves.

The first time that I heard about alpha brain waves, I thought that they sounded like a good brain wave range, but I also thought that they would make me drowsy and wanting to sleep, so I stayed away from using them and stuck with beta. When I finally decided to use alpha brain waves, it was an incredible experience.

I found a new state-of-mind that allowed me to remain peaceful, calm, and relaxed – all while maintaining a positive mental state. It really felt great to finally experience alpha waves. Now, I use alpha brain waves a lot more because I know what they can do for me. I use them to help me fall asleep quickly or for some powerful relaxation sessions. Each time when I’ve been stressed out and used alpha brain waves, my relaxation level skyrocketed after about 15 minutes of use. I really didn’t think they could work as effectively as they actually did!

My description of “alpha brain waves”

Think about your entire body and mind being fully relaxed and peaceful. You may feel slightly spaced out, but it actually feels very pleasant. If you’ve every got a very relaxing massage or sat in a hot-tub to the point of relaxation, this is what the alpha brain waves feel like. All of this will usually be followed by inner-calmness, silence, and quietude – as if your entire world was silent and completely still.

It’s still very difficult for you to fully understand alpha brain waves if you haven’t experienced them. In fact, some people NEVER experience the alpha range for most of their lives! Though my description definitely will help you understand alpha brain waves better, it is still recommended to experience them for yourself. Why? Because describing alpha brain waves is comparable to telling you what chocolate tastes like.

I can describe the chocolate by using many different adjectives and descriptors, but in the end, you really must try the chocolate in order to fully understand it and appreciate it. Same rules apply for the alpha brain wave state of consciousness. When you are finally able to fully understand the alpha brain wave range, you will feel liberated and open to an entirely new world!

It really is an amazing experience, but one that you need to experience for yourself. If you are interested in experiencing powerful alpha brain waves, I recommend either Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional or Mind Work Station. These products will get you started and definitely will help you get into the alpha range. I personally use Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional sessions usually at around 10 Hz and they’ve been absolutely phenomenal.

5 Main Types Of Brainwaves:

1. Beta Brainwaves
2. Alpha Brainwaves
3. Theta Brainwaves
4. Delta Brainwaves
5. Gamma Brainwaves

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading Understanding The “Theta Brainwave”.

Theta brain waves typically range from 4 Hz to 8 Hz. Theta brain waves are associated with the “subconscious mind” and are usually produced in the right-hemisphere of the brain – as opposed to beta brain waves, which are produced in the left-hemisphere and are associated with the “conscious mind.” The brain creates theta brain wave rhythms each time you are in “dream sleep.” Also, during R.E.M. [Rapid-Eye Movement] sleep, the brain is full of theta brain wave activity.

Nearly 3/5 of your entire time spent sleeping at night involves the production of theta brain waves in your brain. Many individuals also are able to access theta brain waves when they are: driving for a long stretch on the highway, practicing their meditation routine, using a self-hypnosis recording, or practicing other forms of deep relaxation. When you are able to consciously access the alpha brain waves state, you are just one step away from accessing the depths of theta.

What’s cool about theta brain waves is the fact that they allow you to connect with your “subconscious mind.” The subconscious mind is the place where all experiences, long-term memories, natural creativity, powerful emotions, spiritual connections, and inspiration are all stored. Think of the “subconscious mind” as one big, infinite storage space for “everything” in your life. The theta brain waves are extremely helpful for healing the body of injury and the mind of diseased-states.

Theta brain waves: tap the subconscious

Theta brain waves are such an important pattern of brain waves due to their ability to grant us access to our subconscious mind power. Accessing the theta rhythm allows us to influence and consciously control our “subconscious mind.” How does this happen? Well, each time you are in theta, you are able to pass through your conscious mind. Passing through your “conscious mind” is often a good idea. Why? Because our conscious minds’ beta-brain wave activity usually acts as a “fence” or “gate.”

This “gate” often can prevent us from manipulating or changing our deep-rooted thought patterns in our subconscious mind. This “gate” can also make it very difficult for us to change our emotional state, thought patterns, limiting beliefs, and attitudes if we don’t know how to pass through it. Another interesting fact is that our “subconscious mind,” accepts any affirmations, incantations, or statements that you feed it. It doesn’t question the statement or think about the statement, it begins to act upon the statement immediately!

For this reason, it is actually quite easy to get rid of any negative emotions or thought patterns if you are able to access this state. You can get rid of these thought patterns by implanting new beliefs into your “subconscious mind.” This is why accessing the subconscious mind via hypnosis can have a powerful effect on a person. The reason hypnosis can be successful is because it allows you to pass through the “gate” and add any desirable affirmations, statements, and beliefs directly inside your subconscious mind.

Access your inner “Zen”

Scientists have known that during deep meditation, the amplitude (strength) of theta brain waves will increase. The deeper you are able to go into meditation, the more powerful your theta brain waves will be. Scientists also have discovered the fact that the emotions for “bliss” and deep internal “peace,” are only felt when theta brain waves are dominant on the E.E.G.

Want to amp up your spiritual life? Well, it has also been noted by researchers that it is theta brain waves that allow individuals to experience their “strongest spiritual connection.” Certain scientists even believe that it is possible to speed-up the process of connecting with the spirit. After this research, many personal development products and practices were created. Many of these personal development products created lots of hype because they seemed like the quickest way to feel “bliss” and “peace” – without spending years meditating.

They claimed to help individuals access their “inner Zen” and also claimed they would experience great health-related benefits. These products included relaxation programs, brainwave CD’s, and self-hypnosis recordings. Many of these will not work to help you access your “inner Zen,” but some definitely do. One product that I frequently use and highly recommend is Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional. Thus far, it has allowed me to have better control of my mind, state of consciousness, and emotions. I highly recommend at least giving the free 30 day trial version a shot if you don’t want to buy it!

Theta brain waves linked to “ah-ha” moments

Though alpha brain waves have been linked to “ah-ha” moments, many individuals have experienced them in the theta brain wave range as well! Since theta brain waves are associated with the creativity, infinite data, and inspiration of the “subconscious mind,” it makes perfect sense that “ah-ha” experiences occur in this brainwave range. For this reason, you can usually hear famous musicians, scientists, writers, actors, and other creative individuals discuss how they “found inspiration.”

Many people assume that researchers only spend all day slaving away in a laboratory with little mice trying to make a breakthrough discovery. What’s interesting though, is the fact that most (if not all) of major scientific breakthroughs and / or inventions have been a result of intuitive guidance via mental imagery, dreams, and hunches that scientists received when their brains’ were in the theta brain wave range and they had some access to their subconscious mind.

These scientists were usually: relaxing, sleeping, driving home from work, and doing non-work related activities! During these “ah-ha” moments that many scientists have had, their brains’ were full of activity in the subconscious mind. The majority of the best scientists are completely aware of how the “subconscious mind” works. Just to name a few geniuses such as: August Kekulé, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, have all tapped the power of their subconscious mind to help them make huge breakthroughs.

As you may now understand, your ability to utilize and harness the power of your subconscious mind is an extremely important factor in determining the success of many individuals (i.e. scientists, authors, researchers, musicians, etc.). Are you currently utilizing the power of your subconscious to help you solve problems or stay inspired? If not, just take a second to think about how much more efficient and powerful you could be if you were able to ‘shift’ into theta brain waves when you felt it necessary!

Unfortunately, many people aren’t able to access this theta brain waves state of consciousness due to certain factors such as: stress and disease. For these individuals, Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional will definitely get them on the right track.

Waking up in theta brain waves?

Each time that theta brain waves flood your brain, you are temporarily detached from your body and awareness. This is why each time you wake up when your brain is in the theta phase of your sleep cycle, you won’t remember anything. If you’ve ever laid down to relax, ended up falling asleep, and then woke up long past your normal waking tim, you’ve likely experienced some quality theta brain waves.

Remember, that how you feel and your entire “waking up” experience depends completely on the brainwave pattern of sleep you’re in before awakening! Below is a recap of the basic brain waves that you can awaken from and what you’ll likely feel like in each state.

How you feel when waking – phase of sleep cycle

Each brainwave state it is possible to wake up from:

• Alpha brain waves: You will feel extremely energized, pumped-up, alert, awake, and ready for whatever the day has to bring. When waking in this state, you’ll also be able to completely remember most of your dreams from throughout the night.

• Theta brain waves: You will feel very surprised that so much time has passed while you were asleep. You won’t remember the act of falling asleep. The last thing you’ll remember is laying down on your bed – before you realize it, it’s already the morning! Each time you wake up in the theta brain waves state and your brain doesn’t shift from: theta to alpha before going into the beta brain waves state, you won’t recall any of your dreams.

• Delta brain waves: It is extremely tough for any individual to wake up if their brain is producing mostly delta brainwaves. However, if you do happen to wake up during this phase of sleep, you will feel irritable, unaware, and very tired. It will take a lot of effort to get yourself out of bed! Definitely not a good phase of brain waves to wake up in!

Master your brain with all 4 types of brain waves

Once again, it’s very important for you to understand that though theta brainwaves can be very beneficial and helpful – they are not the most important brainwave pattern. In fact, none of the 4 basic brain wave patterns (beta, alpha, theta, delta) are considered “most beneficial” or “best brainwave.” All brain waves are of equal importance and serve their intended purpose. They all have certain benefits and drawbacks in certain situations.

The key is to cultivate a good combination of each of the 4 brain waves [beta, alpha, theta, delta] in order to take full control of your mind and life. This can be accomplished via meditation or neurofeedback. Both activities allow you to take “conscious” control over your brain wave patterns and consciously “shift” to an optimal brainwave for any given situation. This makes life much easier for us to live because we are able to optimally deal with any situation.

When you are able to incorporate theta brain waves in your life, you may feel peaceful and blissful during a session of meditation, but you may not even be able to remember it! Why? Theta brain waves involve the subconscious mind and if we don’t have any alpha brain wave activity to transfer this “subconscious information” to our conscious mind (beta waves) – you’ll believe that you know something on a deeper level, but aren’t sure what because you cannot remember it!

Accessing alpha, but not being able to tap theta waves will allow you to feel relaxed, more internally aware, but will not have the emotional intensity, creative insights, or the spiritual-connection that can only be accessed through theta waves. This is why being able to tap both the theta brain waves, while also having access to alpha waves, allows our brains to transfer important information, emotions, and insights to our conscious mind [because alpha bridges the gap between the “subconscious mind” (theta waves) and “conscious mind” (beta waves). This allows us to actually use the information that our theta range can provide.

Hopefully that last paragraph helped you understand why all four patterns of brainwaves are needed to master the brain. And in case you were wondering about delta brain waves – just think of them as one stage deeper than theta brain waves. In order to transfer information from the delta brainwave range to your “conscious mind,” you need to utilize “theta” (receives information from delta) – “alpha” (receives information from theta) – and “beta” (receives information from alpha). This allows us to be consciously aware of even the deepest universal knowledge and truths.

As you may have already guessed, mastering your brain waves will allow you to live the life of your dreams and consciously create your reality. However, it takes work – and, most people don’t put in work… Which is why a minority of the population is able to live out their dreams! Anyways, the key is to be sure you’re in an optimal brain wave state for your given situation. For more information on each of the various brainwaves, and understand which brainwave pattern is optimal, check out each of the descriptions posted below!

5 Main Types Of Brainwaves:

1. Beta Brainwaves
2. Alpha Brainwaves
3. Theta Brainwaves
4. Delta Brainwaves
5. Gamma Brainwaves

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Note: If you enjoy this article, consider reading Understanding The “Delta Brainwave”.

Delta brain waves are the slowest of all your brainwaves. They usually fall within the frequency range of 0 – 4 Hz. When your brain waves reach levels below 0.1 Hz, you will literally be “brain dead.” Unlike theta brainwaves, which are commonly associated with the “subconscious mind” – delta brain waves are associated with the “unconscious mind.” Due to delta brainwaves being the least understood amongst brain waves [besides gamma] – I’ve decided to provide you with some quality information and hopefully clear up any misunderstandings.

Delta brain waves have long been linked to stages 3 and 4 of sleep. The delta brainwave range is considered “the lowest brainwave frequency. A decreased sense of awareness, increased empathy, and access to the “unconscious mind” are common. It is extremely rare to have conscious awareness of delta brainwaves. Only certain highly spiritual individuals, gurus, yogis, monks, and avid meditators usually are able to consciously access this brainwave range.

Being in delta is like being in the most deeply relaxing trance or non-physical awareness. Usually, when individuals are asleep in the delta range, their other brainwave patterns shut down and delta takes over. If you’ve ever woken up and felt irritable, unconscious, confused, or disorientated, you likely woke up during your delta stage of sleep.

Boosted intuition and psychic skills

The slower, delta brain wave frequencies have long been linked to boosted intuition and even the cultivation of “psychic skills” in certain individuals. What’s interesting is the fact that in some individuals, delta brain waves are present [show up in the E.E.G.] of people while they are awake – along with the other basic brainwave patterns [beta, alpha, theta]. They will never be found as the only brainwave pattern while someone is awake! There usually needs to be some beta, alpha, and theta if delta is displayed while awake.

Anyways, researchers have found that individuals who usually have an uncanny intuition and possibly psychic abilities, usually have delta brainwaves appearing in their waking E.E.G.’s. Think of delta brain waves as a radar system that helps our intuition sense when any form of danger is lurking. Though we don’t always need to sense danger via “gut instinct” or intuition, delta brain waves can be a great form of help. Delta brain waves are a very indigenous, anamalistic, primal-type brainwave rhythm that give us a deeper sense of “instinct.” Basically, the delta brainwaves allow us to be more aware of information that isn’t available to our conscious, beta-brainwave fueled, brains.

Healing the mind and body

Frequencies in the delta range have been linked to healing the mind and body of a wide-variety of ailments and illnesses. Researchers have even discovered that within the delta brainwave range, some frequencies are even able to produce healthy substances such as: DHEA, melatonin, and H.G.H. (Human Growth Hormone). When the delta rhythms run through our brain, it naturally produces a different set of neurotransmitters and substances. With software like Neuro-Programmer 2 Professional, you can stimulate these delta brainwave frequencies and increase the healing speed of your brain and body.

The melatonin, H.G.H. (human growth hormone), and DHEA that delta brain waves are able to slow and or reverse the effects of aging. Another benefit of increasing the amount of delta brainwaves is the reduced production of the “stress hormone” called “cortisol.” Reducing cortisol is great for the body and brain! Why? Because increased levels of cortisol can and will actually kill brain cells, plus speed up the process of physical and mental aging.

In the book “The High-Performance Mind” [written by Anna Wise], Anna Wise writes that individuals who are therapists, guides, teachers, and those into professions which involve “helping others” tend to have delta brain waves while awake. She also notes that spiritually advanced individuals and healers tend to display plenty of delta brainwaves. It has been said that these “unconscious brain waves” give them more understanding and access to other individuals’ mental and emotional state.

Delta brain waves to “master the brain”?

The rhythms of delta brain waves allow us to tap into “universal knowledge,” or the mind beyond our own. This “universal knowledge” has been referred to as the “collective unconscious” – which is comparable to one large pool of the collective knowledge and understanding all of humanity. The delta brain waves give our minds’ the opportunity to enter the gateway which connects our intuition with the collective unconscious.

How are delta waves compared to theta brain waves? Theta brain waves give us insights from our “subconscious mind” – our deepest being and deepest internal spirituality. Theta brain waves look internally and are much more personally meaningful to each individual. Delta waves provide us with access to external unconscious material.

From theta and delta, we will never be consciously aware of the information we have access to unless it gets transferred through our subconscious via the alpha brain waves. Alpha brainwaves are able to pass insights and messages from the deeper, theta and delta brainwaves. Usually, they add specific pictures and imagery around the messages in order for our “conscious beta-brainwave geared” mind is able to understand the messages. After the messages from the theta brain waves and delta brain waves get transferred through the alpha range to the beta range, they can be understood and acted upon.

It is important to realize that there is no single brainwave pattern that is optimal to have at all times. Each of the four main types of brain waves come with benefits and drawbacks. Beta brain waves are great for communication and thinking logically, while delta brain waves are great for intuition and accessing “universal knowledge.” After reading this article, I hope that you understand that in order to take full control of your mind and maximize your brain power, you must learn to take control of each of the four brain waves!

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