The brainpower is powered by electromagnetic energy. Whether we're mentally active, resting or asleep, the brain always has electrical activity. Researchers have speculated that a fully functioning brain can produce as very much like 10 watts of wattage. Even though this electric power is limited, by attaching electrodes to the scalp and using an electroencephalogram (EEG), we can view and analyze the traces of electrical activity that represent the brainwaves. Like all waves, brainwaves have a frequency, which are measured in cycles/seconds or Hertz (Hz); the lower the Hz, the slower the wave. Brainwaves are classified by frequency and there are four categories. They range from the high amplitude, low pitch delta to the low amplitude, high pitch beta. Men, women and children of all ages experience as is characteristic brainwaves.
BETA WAVES (15 to 40 cycles/seconds)
When the brain is aroused and active, it produces beta waves. These beta waves are of low amplitude and are the fastest of the four brainwaves. Beta waves are characteristics of an active mind. They're present when one is fully engaged, aware, concentrating, thinking logically and dormant conversation. A person making a speech or teaching aspirant in beta. On the negative side, these brainwaves predominate during times of stress and with feelings of paranoia, worry, fear, and anxiety. They are also present with hunger, depression, irritability, and moodiness. Insomnia is believed to constitute the result of producing excessive beta brainwaves. Beta waves are also associated with excessive inner chatter and self-destructive impulses. It's been shown that a bit much time in the beta state weakens the immune system
ALPHA WAVES (7-14 cycles/seconds)
Where beta waves represented arousal, alpha waves represent less arousal. Alpha brainwaves are slower and higher in amplitude. The alpha wave is most apparent when one is awake, with eyes closed and relaxed. Alpha waves are characterized by relaxed wakefulness where creative thought and the behavioral efficiency of routine behaviors are optimal. A person who takes time to reflecting telescope meditate is usually in an alpha state. The alpha rhythm decreases or disappears when one is mentally concentrating, physically moving or becoming apprehensive. Some researchers have hypothesized the alpha rhythm to be a possible physiological correlate of the hypnotic state. They've found evidence of hypnotic susceptibility being positively correlated with higher levels of waking alpha production.
There are differences in the alpha rhythm during meditation also. As one meditates, the alpha waves gradually spread from the occipital to the frontage areas of the brain. During the second stage of meditation, theta waves appear and move from frontal to posterior parts of the brain. A third stage, which is seen in only the most intimate meditator, is characterized by more explorative waves, which are present over most of the scalp.
THETA WAVES (4-7 cycles/seconds)
Theta waves have greater amplitude and slower frequency than alpha waves and are associated with the early stages of sleep and dreaming. Thetabrainwaves are present for about 60% of sleep and are also present during the barely conscious state just before sleeping and just after waking. The brain also produces theta waves during the rapid eye movement sleep (REM) part of the sleep cycle. If one clams up and slows their mind down during Alpha, they'll naturally come in theta.
A theta state will develop when tasks become so automatic that one can mentally detach from them. For instance, one is in a theta state when driving on a freeway with little traffic. The repetitive nature of this form of driving would result in a theta state compared with driving in heavy traffic where a beta state aspirant produced to perform the driving task safely. Individuals who dead lot of freeway driving often get good ideas during those periods while it's in theta. Individuals who run regularly are often in a brainwave state that's slower than alpha and when in theta, it's prone to a flow of ideas. Ideas that happen during the theta state are often free flow and are experienced as a positive psychological state.
Theta brain waves are connected with subconscious processing. This is where long-term memories and experiences, creativity, deep spiritual connection and any emotional memories are kept. Researchers discovered that during deep meditation, theta brainwaves are increased. Theta waves are also more plentiful with deeper levels of meditation. They also found that the feelings of serenity, bliss and higher consciousness, which people seek from meditation are only achievable, when theta brainwaves are dominant. Most researchers believe that it's possible to hasten by many years the time needed to achieve high levels of meditation by using brainwave entrainment.
Meditation Training
After Training in in meditation for eight weeks, subjects show a pronounced change in brainwave patterns,shifting from alpha waves of aroused, conscious thought to the theta waves that dominate during periods of deep meditation.
Theta waves are present during powerful surges of emotion. People have much stronger emotions, whether happy or sad, while in the theta Range. Theta waves have also been linked to intuition. It's been shown that theta waves are present with instinctive "feelings" in the pit of your stomach. While in the theta state, the mind is capable of deep and profound learning, healing, and growth.
Theta waves have been associated with improved creativity, deeper relaxation, daydreaming, and dreaming while asleep. People with more theta wave activity think more creatively than those with less activity. Musicians, painters and designers have more theta waves than average. It has also been found that people with lower levels of anxiety, stress, and neurosis have stable theta brainwave activity.
On the more damaging side, theta waves perhaps the dominate brain wave activity when one is having difficulty concentrating. People with attention-deficit problems (ADD) cannot shift out of the Theta State when events that need focus, such taking a test, arise.
DELTA WAVES (1.5 to 4 cycles/seconds)
Delta waves have the greatest amplitude and slowest frequency of the brainwaves. They typically range from 1.5 to 4 cycles/seconds. Brain waves are rarely lower than 1.5 Hz; zero would suggest no activity in the brain or put differently, cerebral death. Delta waves are the deepest level of dreamless sleep (2 to 3 Hz), in which, our bodies closing to focus on healing and growing. Practiced meditators can achieve this state of consciousness while awake.
Delta brainwaves are conducive to healing (the immune system is strengthened), rejuvenation, divine knowledge and personal growth. Peak performers decrease delta waves when high focus and peak performance are required. However, most individuals diagnosed attentively Deficit Disorder (ADD) naturally increase instead of decrease delta activity when trying to focus. The inappropriate delta response often severely restricts their capacity to focus and preserve attention.
To understand delta waves, it is helpful to review what is known about sleep patterns. Typically, before sleep, one is in low beta. When the lights come off and the eyes are closed, the sleep cycle begins. The first stage of sleep is characterized by theta waves. As the sleeper moves to stage 2 sleep, theta wave activity increases. Stages 1 and 2 are "light" stages of sleep. As a matter of fact, if someone is awoken during one of these stages, he or she will often report not being asleep at all. The theta waves of stage 1 and 2 change to the delta waives of stage 3 and 4. There's no real division between stages 3 and 4 except that in stage 3 to a lesser degree 50 percent of the waves are delta, while in stage 4 greater than 50 percent are delta. With these four basic stages of sleep, there's the unique stage of rapid eye movements (REM). This stage is associated with a unique combination of alpha, beta, and desynchronous (the waves are not consistent in their pattern) brainwaves (see Figure 1). This is the stage of sleep where dreaming occurs.
A normal night's sleep begins in stage 1 and moves through the stages to stage 4. The cycle then repeats, except that stage 1 is replaced by REM. One cycle, from stage 1 to REM takes about ninety minutes. This cycle is repeated throughout the night. When the awakening process begins, the brainwaves will increase from delta to theta and then to alpha and finally, when the alarm goes off, into beta. During this awakening cycle it is possible for individuals to stay in the theta state for five to 15 minutes, this time can be productive of meaningful and creative thoughts.
No comments:
Post a Comment