Hormones, Brain Waves, and Binaurals

Because entrainment is such an integral aspect of sound healing, it is important to understand how frequencies, especially binaural beats, affect levels of consciousness, brain waves, and the hormonal system. Those brain waves create an environment that influences the autonomic nervous system (including both the sympathetic and parasympathetic) as well as glands like the pineal, adrenal, and pituitary.

A basic definition of entrainment is the tendency for two oscillating bodies to lock into phase so that they vibrate in harmony. Binaural beats affect brain waves and help them synchronize to a calmer theta state.

Because of our hurried lifestyles, chaotic environments, overstimulation, and disruption to delta brain waves (lack of sleep), most of us have acclimated to high levels of everyday stress and high cortisol production.

Serotonin keeps us stable and ready for the daylight hours. We respond with energy, alertness, and clarity. Melatonin is produced in the darkness while we sleep, allowing us to dream with REM sleep and to restore and regenerate.

The pineal is unable to produce adequate melatonin in the presence of cortisol, and this is why we can’t sleep at night. It should be the time of good melatonin production, but the cortisol keeps us awake as a survival mechanism, even though there isn't an imminent threat. Our system under chronic stress cannot turn off cortisol production or activate the parasympathetic nervous system, thus inhibiting both melatonin and dopamine production.

Here are some scientific facts regarding melatonin:

• Stops the excess secretion of cortisol in response to stress

• Improves carbohydrate metabolism

• Lowers triglyceride levels

• Inhibits atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)

• Heightens the immune response

• Decreases the development of certain tumors

• Increases the life span of laboratory rats by 25 percent

• Activates a neuroprotective role in the brain

• Increases REM sleep

• Stimulates free radical scavenging (anti-aging and antioxidant)
• Promotes DNA repair and replication

Joe Dispenza, Becoming Supernatural

The pineal gland is affected by brain waves. With beta brain waves, the sympathetic nervous system is activated and produces cortisol which then inhibits melatonin so you don’t fall asleep and can avert danger. It’s the body’s brilliant mechanism for surviving. Unfortunately, we have become addicted to this. 

When a calmer brain state such as alpha or theta is achieved, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in; reducing fight or flight, and the production of cortisol (a function of the sympathetic nervous system). This is important because the fight or flight response can be turned off and restorative sleep-inducing melatonin production is turned on. 

The pineal gland is the catalyst here…

The pineal gland is a neuroendocrine transducer secreting melatonin responsible for physiological circadian rhythm control. A new form of bio-mineralization has been studied in the human pineal gland and consists of small crystals that are less than 20 microns in length. These crystals are responsible for electromechanical, biological transduction mechanisms in the pineal gland due to their structure and piezo-electric properties.

From “New Crystal in the Pineal Gland: Characterization and Potential Role in Electromechano-Transduction”, S. Baconnier, S.B. Lang, and R. Seze.

With binaural beats, it’s possible to affect the tiny crystals of the pineal gland by slowing down the brainwaves to theta.

To put it in simple terms, the pineal gland contains calcite crystals made of calcium, carbon, and oxygen, and because of their structure, they express this effect. Like an antenna, the pineal gland can become electrically activated and generate electromagnetic fields that can tune in to information. Dispenza, Becoming Supernatural

In the case of binaurals, the brain waves entrain, slow down, and the pineal gland then picks up the electromagnetic signal and interprets it accordingly.

Science is on the cutting edge of understanding how sound waves can regulate our systems and bring us back to homeostasis.

I have encountered the amazing results of using binaural beats with clients for years. It is clear to me that the cortisol machine can be shut down long enough for the body to re-adjust. Once sleep, melatonin, serotonin, and dopamine are restored to adequate levels, the body can go back to the normal functioning of the ANS where both sympathetic and parasympathetic are in balance.

People come back again and again to tune up their bodies' natural hormonal balance.