Some devices will playback that information to you in the form of music at the same frequency, while others deliver the actual waveform back to your brain. So say you’re meditating and the device records relaxing alpha waves. These devices are essentially headbands that you can wear while performing a task and they read out your brainwaves so that you can see how active your brain is. In a similar way, neurofeedback measures your brain waves and feeds that information back to you in order to reinforce certain patterns of waves and subsequently mental states. This signal feeds back information about your behavior and alerts you to change it, that is, to stop speeding. Feedback is like the speedometers on the highway that record how fast you’re going and flash if you’re over the speed limit. If you want to go super high-tech, there are actually a number of wearables or devices that use neurofeedback. Read about three ways that you can change your brain waves to get closer to the state you want. Controlling our brain waves could help optimize relaxation and productivity. The pressures of school can have a significant impact on mental health and well-being, as evidenced by the alarming increase in burnout among student populations. What about those times when we feel too focused or vigilant, and would desperately prefer for those flatter brain waves of sleep and rest – is it possible to nudge our waves in one direction or another? Life as a student can be stressful, demanding, and fast-paced.

The shape of the wave is different at rest than it is when someone is using all of their focus and attention.Įxplore our infographic below to learn about the five types of brain waves, and the mental state linked to each one. Neurons are constantly talking to each other and the electrical activity that emanates from that communication can be detected using a technique called electroencephalography, or EEG, with sensors attached to the scalp that tune into those bursts of energy and record them as waves. So what are brain waves and how do we measure them? The brain is made up of billions of specialized cells, some of which are called neurons. What if there was a way to get at the source of our emotions and thoughts – the brain – and control it so you could achieve a mental state you desired or reduce stress? Mind control sounds a bit more like Stranger Things than real life, but we’re actually getting closer to monitoring brain activity, and in some cases changing or strengthening desirable brain wave patterns. Between studying for finals and trying to get Christmas shopping done, it’s a stressful time of the year.

Wave state