A quick experiment: put headphones in (or over) your ears. The first thing you’ll probably notice is that through each of the headphones, two different tones are playing. Together, the vibrations from each sound frequency are interacting with your brain cells, creating a perceived third, "imaginary," tone. That third imaginary tone? It’s known as a “Binaural Beat.”
The frequency of the Binaural Beat cannot be overlooked — it causes us to feel focused, calm, and creative. What’s better, it leads us to enter the coveted “flow state,” where time drifts away, and we can become completely immersed in the task at hand. It’s essential to avoid burnout and preserve your mental well-being.
By influencing your brain waves with Binaural Beats, you can provide the extra support your brain needs for you to achieve side hustle success. Here's how.
What are Binaural Beats?
First, let's talk about Binaural Beats. Binaural Beats are a specific technique of Sound Therapy, which is used for subtly altering brain waves to achieve various mental and emotional outcomes. We perceive these vibrations through our ears, which trigger cellular reactions in our brains.
A Binaural Beat, specifically, is an imaginary tone perceived in our heads when we hear two specific tones in each ear. The brain detects these two frequencies and generates a third imaginary frequency, the binaural beat.
When listening to binaural beats for an extended period, our brain waves synchronize with the chosen vibration. There are various brain wave states, which have specific benefits depending on its frequency. By synchronizing your brain waves, you can target specific benefits to maximize your mental bandwidth and levels of productivity.
Maximizing brain power for your side hustle
Pursuing a side hustle means increasing your weekly workload, requiring more time, energy, focus, and stress management. The brain is a muscle, and if overused it can become overwhelmed from the exertion of energy.
• Reduced anxiety
• Enhanced focus and concentration
• Higher ability to filter out distractions
• Feelings of relaxation
• Higher creativity levels
• Extended periods of focused attention
• Improved sleep
• Higher energy
• Activation of happy chemicals in brain
By boosting brain power, you provide your mind with optimal support to achieve success in your endeavors.
How to use Binaural Beats
To experience the positive effects of Binaural Beats, you need to listen to the sound waves with headphones on for approximately 20 minutes. This allows your brain waves to synchronize with the frequencies emitted through each headphone. Note that without headphones, this will not be effective (over-the-ear or airpods will do!).
There are five brainwave states, and depending on your desired outcome, you can choose the state you wish to enter. As the diagram below shows, this can come in the form of Gamma, Beta, Alpha, Theta, or Delta waves.
Additionally, Binaural Beats are an excellent tool for activating a flow state (if you’re a yoga enthusiast, this term may sound familiar), the driving force for heightened focus and maximum productivity.
The flow state and productivity
The flow state is an optimal state of consciousness where individuals feel and perform at their best. It's a liberating feeling where you become so absorbed in the task at hand that you lose awareness of yourself. It causes your thoughts to flow freely, and filters out all distractions. “It’s an Efficiency Exchange. We’re trading energy usually used for higher cognitive functions for heightened attention and awareness,” says American University in Beirut neuroscientist Arne Dietrich, who assisted in the discovery of this phenomena in 2003.
This efficiency exchange is made possible through interactions between five specific neurotransmitters in the brain:
● Dopamine
● Norepinephrine
● Endorphins
● Anandamide
● Serotonin
These are the chemicals responsible for making one feel happy. They combine to create a euphoric feeling similar to a “runner’s high.”
As the brain enters the flow state, noticeable shifts occur in its brainwave activity. It transitions from the typically high Beta wave activity associated with waking consciousness to slower waves within the Alpha (8 to 12Hz) and Theta (3 to 8Hz) frequencies.
Where to listen to Binaural Beats
It’s easy to access binaural beats. There are various playlists available to people to use without cost, which can be found on platforms such as Spotify or YouTube. Here’s a few:
Maximizing your brain power for side hustle success
Pursuing a side hustle demands increased brain energy to achieve your goals. To avoid overextending your brain and risking burnout, Binaural Beats offer a powerful solution. By utilizing them regularly, you can maximize your brain power and tap into the flow state, giving you an additional tool to increase your productivity, giving you a boost to tackle your next side hustle.
