Binaural Beats: How They Work, What Science Says, & How You Can Create Your Own in 2025
earn how binaural beats affect your brain, what research says about their benefits (anxiety, focus, sleep) — and why it’s easy to craft your own customized tracks using binaural brainwave entrainment.
What Exactly Happens in the Brain When You Listen to Binaural Beats?
1. Each ear hears a slightly different tone
Example:
Left ear: 400 Hz
Right ear: 410 Hz
→ The brain detects a 10 Hz difference.
This 10 Hz isn’t a real sound in the environment — it’s a perceived third beat, created by the brain as an internal auditory illusion.
2. The “beat” is processed in the brainstem — specifically, the superior olivary complex
This is where auditory signals from both ears are first integrated.
The superior olivary complex (SOC) lies in the pons, part of the brainstem
It’s the first part of the brain that receives input from both ears at the same time
This region is responsible for localizing sound and processing phase differences, so it’s perfectly suited to detect the mismatch and produce the binaural beat
So even though you’re not hearing the beat as an external sound, your brain is generating the illusion at this level.
3. Brainwaves begin to sync with the beat frequency — this is called entrainment
After the SOC picks up the binaural beat, the brain starts to adjust its overall electrical rhythm to match the beat frequency. This happens through brainwave entrainment.
Depending on the beat frequency, the brain shifts into one of these states:
Associated States for different brainwaves
0.1–4 Hz Delta: Deep sleep
4–8 Hz Theta: Deep relaxation, REM sleep, dream state, hypnotic highly receptive state, subconscious programming/ access
8–13 Hz Alpha: Calm focus, attentive meditation, creativity
13–30 Hz Beta: Alertness, concentration
30+ Hz Gamma: Peak awareness, integration, high performance, intense concentration
4. Neural coherence and synchrony may improve
Some studies suggest that binaural beats may:
Increase hemispheric synchronization (better cooperation between left and right brain)
Enhance alpha coherence, which relates to reduced anxiety and improved mood
Influence the thalamus and cortex, areas responsible for sensory integration and attention
This is still an emerging area of research but EEG studies show consistent changes in brainwave patterns in response to binaural beats, especially in theta and alpha ranges.
Create your own binaural beats and brainwave entrainment audio
You can generate your own binaural beats for free, for example with Audacity. As a meditation creator or hypnosis creator, knowing you’ll have a great advantage in being able to produce binaural tones yourself. This way you can customize the volume, brainwave state or range and the combination with other sounds to your clients, customers or audience preferences.
Choose two pure sine waves with a small frequency difference in range of the brainwave state you want
Assign each one to a separate stereo channel (left/right) by panning the different tones
Export — you’ve made a brainwave entrainment track!
Import and adjust volume in an editing tool
Layer and combine with other samples, recordings or sounds
No musical skills needed — just intention and a little guidance.
👉 My course walks you through this process step-by-step, with:
A full intro to brainwave entrainment
Tools for creating and layering your own tracks
A 60-track sound library with ambient textures and nature sounds
Full commercial rights to use in your meditations, videos, or products
For those who prefer purchasing binaural brainwave entrainment audio, you’ll find different royalty free sound packs on my store.
