Binaural and isochronic tones for sleeping have become a hot trend in the mental health world over the past few years. If you haven’t heard of them, that’s ok. They are frequencies that play in your ears to alter your brain waves and produce a certain result (concentration, relaxation, pain relief).

Are Isochronic Tones Just a Different Type of Binaural Beat?

One of the most common misconceptions is that isochronic tones are just a different type of binaural beat. But that’s incorrect. They are both different methods of creating audio brainwave entrainment.

Binaural beats have been around for much longer and can be traced back to 1839, when they were discovered by German scientist Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. Isochronic tones are a much newer discovery and were first highlighted in a study by Arturo Manns in 1981.

In his 1981 study, Manns was the first to report how isochronic tones produce a stronger brainwave entrainment effect when compared to binaural beats.

  • Both isochronic tones and binaural beats stimulate and influence your brainwaves, using the sound of repetitive beats. This type of brainwave stimulation is known as ‘brainwave entrainment‘.
  • Both methods work by stimulating your brain with continuous repetitive beats of a specific frequency. When your brain is stimulated with a repetitive beat, your dominant brainwaves start to fall in sync to the same speed of the beats.

The big difference between isochronic tones and binaural beats is the way the beats are created. Isochronic tones produce a much more distinctive sounding beat, which produces a stronger reaction in your brainwave electrical activity. Which is what ultimately makes them more effective and a stronger method of brainwave stimulation.

How Isochronic Tones Work

Isochronic tones are consistent regular beats of a single tone. To explain it in the simplest of terms, an isochronic tone is a tone being switched on and off very quickly.

The speed at which the tone is switched on and off is measured in terms of Hertz (Hz).

Do Isochronic Tones Really Work?

This is one of those areas that are still not quite conclusive. Certainly, the National Institute Of Health thought enough about the effects of binaural and isochronic beats to conduct a study to see if they were effective. There is no right or wrong answer here, you’re welcome to try them for yourself. If they don’t help you, they certainly won’t hurt you.

Five Steps to trying Binaural and Isochronic Tones for deep sleep

Remember, no sound in your ear is going to replace a solid sleep routine, so make sure you plan to get your shut-eye. If you keep it in perspective, using binaural and isochronic tones for deep sleep can really help you, if only by giving you something additional to soothe you at bedtime.

  1. Headphones – isochronic tones don’t require headphones, but binaural tones do. Get a pair.
  2. Download an App – if you’re one of the millions of people who use their smartphone as an alarm, you can also download an app that will help you find the right beat. Brainwaves happen to be a great one! You can either choose to play the music and sounds on your web or mobile app.
  3. Choose your beats – Brainwaves includes multiple binaural and isochronic tones for deep sleep, they’ve got many positive feedback from our users. Choose whatever sounds best. If the noise is irritating, you certainly won’t be relaxed.
  4. Follow your ordinary sleep routine– take a warm shower, use some essential oils, whatever allows you to wind down.
  5. Give it more than one night– like anything new, this will take some getting used to. Give it a chance.

Follow these steps and you will be off to la la land in no time. Good night!

Sources:

https://www.mindamend.com/brainwave-entrainment/binaural-beats-vs-isochronic-tones/

https://blackgirllostkeys.com/adhd/five-steps-to-trying-binaural-and-isochronic-tones-for-sleeping/

Last modified: September 14, 2021