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Entrainment Technologies
› Audio Entrainment
› Audio-Visual Entrainment
 Questions
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Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback
› Live Demonstration
› Questions
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Using auditory signals
to influence
brainwaves
“relaxation” CD’s
2 (or more) parts
› Frequency tones
› Masking music
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Presentation of a
sound (click)
Brain responds in
consistent way
If sounds are evenly
spaced
Can induce specific
frequency
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Isochronic Tones
› Evenly spaced tones
› Turn on and off
quickly
› Produce strong
evoked response
› Psychologically
appealing
› Tone frequency
entrains brainwaves
“Frequency following
response”
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2 different tones at
slightly different
pitches into separate
ears
Brain subtracts
difference and
perceives as sound
within head
“phantom sound”
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Binaural is unlikely to produce significant
BWE, but can by hypnotic and relaxing
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Isochronic tones are strongly entraining
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Mixed-Bag
Audio used binaural rather than isochronic
Small sample size
Varied frequencies (3 hz vs. 10 hz)
Single Session studies
See Huang, T. & Charyton, C. (2008). A comprehensive review of the
psychological effects of brainwave entrainment. Alternative Therapies
Sep/Oct, Vol. 14, No. 5.
Randomized, double-blind
 104 patients undergoing general
anesthesia for surgery
 When listening to music CD with binaural
beats, anxiety decreased by 26.3%
(p=.001) compared to control
 Patients that listened to CD without BB,
anxiety decreased by 11% (p=.15)
 Control group (TV or read), anxiety
decreased 3.8%
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Easily available
› downloadable
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Cost effective
› Costs generally range from free to $20
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Portable
› iPod
› Smart phone
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Applications
› Test preparation
› Sleep
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Internet search
› “relaxation CD’s
using isochronic
tones”
› Hemi-sync.com
› Eoinstitute.org
› Musicmefree.com
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Phone apps
› Brainwave Tuner
› Brain Booster
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Light and Sound Stimulation
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Glasses flash lights at specific frequency
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Tones in headphones at same frequency
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Brain waves match these frequencies
› Entrainment
› Increases or decreases nervous system
arousal.
Audio Visual Entrainment
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Eyes-closed 18.5 hz photic entrainment
› Increased 18.5 hz EEG by 49%
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Eyes-open 18.5 hz auditory entrainment
› Increased 18.5 hz EEG by 27%
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Eyes-closed 18.5 hz auditory entrainment
› Increased 18.5 hz EEG by 21%
 Frederick, Lubar, Rasey, Brim, & Blackburn (1999). Effects of 18.5 Hz
Audiovisual Stimulation on EEG Amplitude at the Vertex. Proceedings
AAPB Thirteenth Anniversary Annual Meeting, 42-45.
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Gently turn off mental chatter
› Stimulus overload leading to mental
“confusion”
› Possibly hypnotic induction
› The brain “let’s go”
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Apply BWE later in session
Beta (14-30)-stimulating, good for ADHD
 Alpha (8-13)-use first, best entrainment,
good for deep relaxation
 Theta (4-7)-forming new habits,
repressed memories, sleep
 Delta (1-3)-going to bed
 Dual Stimulation-left/right hemisphere
 Ganzfeld Stimulation-passive, nonentraining, repetitive
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NFB and AVE to increase alpha and decrease high beta for anxiety
Adult Woman, Excessive Worry, Strong Emotional Reactions
Relaxation Training
 ADHD and Learning
 Depression
 Anxiety
 Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Seasonal Affective Disorder
 TMJ
 Chronic Pain/Fibromyalgia
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Comprehensive Review of Research:
 Consistent, positive findings:
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› Verbal Skills
› Attention
› Memory
› Stress/Anxiety
› Pain
› Behavior (in children)
113 college students
 4 groups: worry exposure, expressive
writing, AVE, control
 Each practiced 3x/week
 Worry exposure and AVE showed
significant improvements in all measures
compared to other groups
 AVE had best follow-through
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www.mindalive.com
www.toolsforwellness.com
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The process of
measuring and
displaying physiological
processes with the goal
of increased awareness
and control.
› Increased awareness of
physiological processes
› Voluntary control over
body and mind
Muscle activity (EMG)
 Skin Temperature
 Electrodermal Activity (GSR, SCR)
 Respiration/Capnometry
 Heart Rate Variability
 Blood Pressure
 Brain Electrical Activity (EEG)
 Brain Blood Flow (HEG)
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HRV = heart rate
changes with every
heartbeat.
HRV should not be
confused with heart
rate
HRV is associated with
autonomic nervous
system functioning
› Balance between SNS
and PNS = High HRV
› Sympathetic
activation = Low HRV
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HRV is an important indicator of both
physiological resiliency and behavioral
flexibility.
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Low HRV is associated as an independent
predictor of future health problems.
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HRV can be thought of as a general
measure of adaptability
› Diminished HRV a sign of vulnerability to stress
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5-8 breaths per minute for balanced nervous
system
Paced diaphragmatic breathing restores
synchrony between respiratory and
cardiovascular systems (Gervitz, 1999)
› 6 breaths per min seems ideal for synchrony
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Should feel comfortable and not forced
Advanced: exhale longer than inhalation
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Externally Paced
› 6 breaths/minute
› Coherence Coach
› DoAsOne (www.doasone.com)
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Phone Apps
› BreathBiofeedback (Free)
› Breath Pacer Lite (Free)
› MyCalmBeat (Free)
› DoAsOne (Free through iTunes)
Reduced anxiety immediately after 10
minute practice in college students
(Tarrant, 2011)
 Reduced anxiety improved mood in
highly anxious college students after 4
weeks (Henriques, et. al., 2011)
 15 min. of RSA biofeedback resulted in
significant shifts in brain functioning in
areas associated with stress response
(Sherlin, et. al., 2010)
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Self-service
 Individual sessions
 Biofeedback Lab
 Classes (3-weeks)
 Embedded in existing classes
 For credit class (1 credit hour)
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www.Heartmath.com
› (emWave)

www.resperate.com

www.stresseraser.com
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Audio Programs
› www.hemi-sync.com
› www.EOInstitute.org
› www.musicmefree.com
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Audio Visual Entrainment
› www.mindalive.com
› www.toolsforwellness.com
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HRV and RSA Biofeedback
› www.heartmath.com
› www.resperate.com
› www.stresseraser.com