Auditory driving of the autonomic nervous system: Listening to theta-frequency binaural beats post-exercise increases parasympathetic activation and sympathetic withdrawal

Abstract

Binaural beats are an auditory illusion perceived when two or more pure tones of similar frequencies are presented dichotically through stereo headphones. Although this phenomenon is thought to facilitate state changes (e.g., relaxation), few empirical studies have reported on whether binaural beats produce changes in autonomic arousal. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of binaural beating on autonomic dynamics [heart rate variability (HRV)] during post-exercise relaxation. Subjects (n = 21; 18–29 years old) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study during which binaural beats and placebo were administered over two randomized and counterbalanced sessions (within-subjects repeated-measures design). At the onset of each visit, subjects exercised for 20-min; post-exercise, subjects listened to either binaural beats (‘wide-band’ theta-frequency binaural beats) or placebo (carrier tones) for 20-min while relaxing alone in a quiet, low-light environment. Dependent variables consisted of high-frequency (HF, reflecting parasympathetic activity), low-frequency (LF, reflecting sympathetic and parasympathetic activity), and LF/HF normalized powers, as well as self-reported relaxation. As compared to the placebo visit, the binaural-beat visit resulted in greater self-reported relaxation, increased parasympathetic activation and increased sympathetic withdrawal. By the end of the 20-min relaxation period there were no observable differences in HRV between binaural-beat and placebo visits, although binaural-beat associated HRV significantly predicted subsequent reported relaxation. Findings suggest that listening to binaural beats may exert an acute influence on both LF and HF components of HRV and may increase subjective feelings of relaxation.

Binaural Beats through the auditory pathway: from brainstem to connectivity patterns

“…We used theta (7 Hz) and gamma (40 Hz) beats because theta beats have been associated with reduced anxiety levels (McConnell et al 2014;Isik et al, 2017), and gamma beats have been associated with attention modulation . Furthermore, these two frequencies have been associated with large-scale integration models of the brain (Varela et al, 2001;Canolty and Knight, 2010).…”

Association between heart rhythm and cortical sound processing

“…Although, as previously noted, there is an interaction between auditory mechanisms and the ANS [18], it is unclear whether auditory processes related to attentional mechanisms are associated with the ANS. Furthermore, mechanisms regarding auditory attention processing and parasympathetic modulation could provide additional evidence for the role of ANS in social interactions and engagement.…”

Awareness on Digital Drugs Abuse and its Applied Prevention among Healthcare Practitioners in KSA

“…I-dosing, scientifically known as "binaural beat", is an auditory illusion perceived when two different pure-tone sine waves, both with frequencies less than 1500 Hz having an inter-wave difference less than a 40 Hz, are presented to a listener dichotically through each ear [9][10].…”

“…Humans rarely hear frequencies below 20 Hz, which is exactly the range of Delta, Theta, Alpha, and low to mid Beta brainwaves [9,14].…”

“…I-Doser, a term which refers to an online internet application for purchasing audio contents, claimed to simulate specific mental states through the use of binaural beats, and some of them are named after prohibited recreational drugs [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15].…”