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What your brainwaves say about your mental state

The brain is made up of approximately 100 billion nerve cells called neurons which are constantly communicating with each other using electrical signals. The combination of millions of these neurons sending electrical signals all at once produces an click here to learn more enormous of electrical activity in the brain. This electrical activity is known as ‘Brain Wave Patterns’, because of their wave and cyclic-like nature, and can be recorded with an EEG machine.

Importantly these Brain Wave Patterns are not random; they are in fact closely correlated with your emotions, your thoughts, and your general state of mind. In short, the entire quality of your life has something to do with these patterns.

This also means that what you do to yourself can influence your brain wave patterns. It’s like a meter that displays the state of your consciousness.

Below are five broad categories of brainwave states you are likely to experience on a day to day basis:

Delta waves (below 4Hz) are often associated with being fast sleep, hyper-relaxed or in a deep meditation

Theta waves (4-8Hz) indicate a light sleep, drowsiness or daydreaming. In this state you are more receptive to creative and imaginative thinking led by the subconscious, i.e. when ideas suddenly just pop into your head.

Alpha waves (8-12Hz) are associated with a fully awake and conscious but relaxed state of mind. They can be increased by closing your eyes and relaxing, and are reduced by any concentrated effort

Beta waves (12-30Hz) are characteristic of an engaged mind, which is alert and well focused. These are the dominant waves most of us will experience during the day. They are produced when our attention is directed to the outside world.

Gamma waves (30-90Hz) are found when carrying out very complex motor processes. They are associated with being highly alert and focused and are seen when people describe themselves as being ‘in the zone’.

By understanding more about your brainwaves you can identify which state and which frequency range it would be most beneficial to be in for any particular activity you might need to do, or state of mind you would like to feel, e.g. calm and in control when you know you would normally be feeling stressed and under pressure.

In turn, if you know which type of waves and frequencies you want to be experiencing you can take advantage of a large number of brainwave entrainment technologies to allow you to get yourself into exactly the state you desire with little or no conscious effort.