A recent study by Lee et al. (2022) investigated the potential of binaural beats (BB) as a supplementary therapy for relieving insomnia symptoms. This non-controlled feasibility study included 43 participants, both male and female, aged between 20 and 59 years. The aim was to evaluate the brain wave entrainment effect of BB and determine their efficacy and safety in managing insomnia.
Participants were divided into two groups: one group used a test device that played music combined with 6 Hz binaural beats, while the control group used a sham device that played only music. Each participant listened to their assigned audio for 30 minutes before bedtime every day for two weeks. Importantly, the subjects could not hear or distinguish the BB sound.
The study found that when participants listened to music with theta BB, there was an entrapment of theta waves. The increase in theta wave activity when exposed to BB with music suggests that BB can induce sleepiness. Additionally, the increase in delta and theta power, alongside the decrease in alpha power observed after listening to the music, indicated a relaxation effect and reduced tension. This suggests that music combined with BB exposure can alleviate the hyper-arousal state often associated with insomnia and contribute to better sleep.
The authors concluded that binaural beats have the potential to be an effective supplementary therapy for insomnia. They also recommended further research using different BB carriers and varying the duration of BB exposure to develop more effective BB treatments for insomnia.
These findings highlight the promise of BB as a non-invasive and simple method to improve sleep quality. As research in this area continues, binaural beats could become a valuable tool in the management of insomnia, offering a natural and relaxing alternative to traditional treatments.
