What
are Binaural Beats?
Binaural beats are the sensations
perceived by your brain when you listen through headphones to two coherent
sounds with somewhat similar frequencies. One sound is introduced to one ear,
while the second sound is simultaneously presented to the other ear. Then, a
beating sound will be noticed and heard, as if the two sounds combined naturally.
The frequencies of both tones should not be more than a thousand Hertz for the
beat to be perceptible, and the difference between the two should not go beyond
30 Hz. If these conditions are not met, then the two sounds will be interpreted
separately and no binaural beat will be noticed.
When the perceived beat frequency
corresponds to the delta, theta, alpha, beta, or gamma range of brainwave
frequencies, the brainwaves entrain to or move towards the beat frequency. For
example, if a 210 Hz frequency is played into the right ear and a 220 Hz one
into the left ear, the brain is entrained towards the beat frequency 10 Hz, in
the alpha range. Since alpha range is associated with relaxation, this has a
relaxing effect or if in the beta range, more alertness. An experiment with
binaural sound stimulation using beat frequencies in the Beta range on some
participants and Delta/Theta range in other participants, found better
vigilance performance and mood in those on the awake alert state of Beta range
stimulation.
The resulting beat was first
discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove in the year 1839. Although continuous
efforts were made to study binaural beats after the discovery, it was not until
several years later that the subject became less of a scientific curiosity.
Over a century after binaural beats were discovered, the article “Auditory
Beats in the Brain” by Gerald Oster offered new insights and presented fresh
lab findings about the phenomenon. In this article, Oster explored the uses of
binaural beats as an important tool for diagnosing auditory and general
neurological conditions, for neurological and cognitive research, and even for
measuring relative estrogen levels in women. Today, binaural beats enjoy a
popularity that stems from numerous, but unverified claims, about their
benefits in the area of athletic performance, weight loss, smoking cessation,
sexual disorders, and even learning and memory.
Estrogen
– What is it for Women?
Estrogen is a group of compounds
named for their importance in reproductive and menstrual cycles. They are the
primary female sex hormones. Natural estrogen is a steroid hormone, while some
synthetic ones are non-steroidal.
As the primary “female” hormone,
estrogen promotes the growth and health of the female reproductive organs and
keeps the vagina moisturized, elastic (stretchy), and well supplied with blood.
Estrogen levels generally decline during perimenopause, but they do so in an
irregular fashion. Sometimes there can be more estrogen present during perimenopause
than in the past. Estrogen levels generally decline during perimenopause, but
they do so in an irregular fashion.
The reduced production of estrogen
beginning in perimenopause can affect your sexual function directly, such as
through vaginal dryness. It can also do so indirectly, in the form of hot
flashes and night sweats, which can drain your energy and undermine your desire
for sex as a result.
How
to Test Estrogen Levels?
There are a variety of tests
available for determining hormone levels. Your doctor will likely have you take
a blood test. Your blood may also be tested for FSH (Follicle-Stimulating
Hormone), which is responsible for regulating estrogen and progesterone
production in the ovaries.
You should tell your doctor about any
medications and supplements you are taking before having the test done. You
should also inform your doctor about any hormonal contraceptive you use, as
this could affect your test. You should discuss medical conditions including
thyroid disease, sex-dependent hormone tumors, ovarian cysts, and unusual
vaginal bleeding with your doctor, as they could affect your FSH levels.
There are three types of estrogen;
estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Estradiol is the type of estrogen that is
normally measured with testing, and a normal range is 30-400 pg/mL for
premenopausal women (depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle) and
0-30 pg/mL for postmenopausal women. Levels lower than 20 pg/mL may cause
hormonal symptoms such as hot flashes.
Regulating
Estrogen Levels with Binaural Beats
There are multiple approaches
available to increase your level of estrogen and improve general well-being,
including radical Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT), lifestyle and nutrition
changes, and more. Consider Binaural Beats as one of such creative approaches.
Note that it is not meant to replace or substitute for the recommendations or
advice of your physician or health care provider.
The video clips provided below are
just two random examples found on YouTube to offer you try it right away. They
are neither the best available, nor the most popular. So, feel free to make
your own searches if you find this approach useful and promising.
Stereo headphones are required for
the best effectiveness. As the method uses Binaural Beats, you must wear
headphones to be able to hear the beat properly. Both the 'in-ear' earphones
and 'over-ear' headphones are ok to use.
Here are two pieces, depending on
your availability and readiness to spend time for such meditation.
1. 90 minutes meditation
2. 15 minutes meditation
Warning
* The effect of the Binaural Beats on
different people may vary. Stop immediately if you are experiencing unusual
symptoms. The current technique has reported of being one of the safest
approach to the natural estrogen increase. However, it still affects the brain,
and there is no method in the World, which fits all and everyone. Listen to
your body! Listen to your mind! Stay open for positive and rewarding
experience, but it may take some time before you will be able to relax and
submit to experience. But, do not suffer, trying to enjoy it and failing. If
you have unusual anxiety, headache, negative visualization, discontinue the
session. Respect your body and mind preferences and desires.
* Not recommended for pregnant women
or males unless you are trying to acquire female attributes.
* Not recommended for people
suffering from epilepsy or irregular heartbeat.
* Not recommended for people with
estrogen-dependent cancer predisposition.
Sources
and Additional Information: