Some of us might be familiar with the sleep cycles we go through every night, especially if they were interrupted by the time morning rolls over. Those cycles are induced by the activity of brainwaves which drift us into each zone throughout the night.

There are five main frequencies (that we currently know of) that simultaneously flow from the electrical impulses of a firing neuron. The frequencies can be observed (using anElectroEncephaloGram) overlapping each other under one dominant wave that expresses the current activity the brain is performing.

Gamma is the highest and quickest wavelength with Beta, Alpha, and Theta following, leaving Delta's extended low curves dragging behind.

These are the general ideas of each wave that I've come across from surfing the internet.

GAMMA is associated with intelligence and cognition. Its radiated when you're critical thinking, actively learning, and problem solving. Its also thought to be simultaneously processing every piece of information from around the neural network and is above the frequency of a neural firing.

That last part is a little strange and requires further research; if it isn't being created at the synapses then where does it come from? For now all I have is a speculation we'll end series with.

BETA emerges when we're in work mode. Doesn't require a ton of thought other than being focused and attentive to the task at hand. This mental state can recognized after we've consumed bit of caffeine or taken medication to support mental clarity.

ALPHA takes over when we're present in quality relaxation. The brains is awake but not processing much, so naturally its calm with the occasional thought floating by. I'd imagine this to be the head space we're in while we sunbathe by the ocean or walk through the forest.

It's also thought to be involved with mental coordination and mind-body integration while we workout or are engaged in athletic competition.

In all scenarios when this wave is dominant, our Minds are fully living in the moment of 'Now'.

THETA is the drift we feel when we float to slumber or consciousness. It was commonly described with deep relaxation and drowsiness and with a richness in intuition, creativity and emotional connection. I came across an interesting suggestion that Inception could've potentially taken place in the theta zone, which seems possible considering that we remember dreams the most if they happen right before we wake up.

DELTA is responsible for that deep restorative sleep. It has the potential to heal the human body through the autonomic nervous system by triggering organ rejuvenation. This brainwave may be the foundational factor of the benefits from long-term meditation.

Now that we have a little background information on the different zones our brains occupy, how do we use that knowledge to our advantage?

Let's say you have a project due in 4 days but you've been too busy taking bite sized dopamine hits off your phone, how do you normally get motivated? Does it work?

What if you have a big day tomorrow and you can't seem to actually fall asleep, what then?

How do you chill your dog out when its shaking beside your leg while fireworks or thunderbolts are out there lighting up the sky?

With sound!

In Neuro~Waves I, I mistakenly mentioned synchronizing our brainwaves with music technology.

It would be more accurate to point out – this technology functions by “elicit[ing] strong neural phase locking – allowing populations of neurons to engage in various kinds of coordinated activity”.

So, this music organizes our neural activity and guides our brainwaves to where we want to be.

This specific technology is currently patented by brain.fm, which I personally use on the daily. If you're interested in their work, they have their studies available on the website with more information on the science behind it. However, there is an annual fee that funds their work but, if you use it every day the cost comes out to 0.16cents/day or you can try it out with the five free sessions that are offered.

I'm curious on the comparability of human brainwaves with animal brainwaves, specifically other intelligent creatures. I had wondered how much of an effect was the sleep audio having on my pets every night. So when the opportunity came with a heavy rainstorm, I watched my dog for his anxiety to kick in until I played destress audio and sure enough within 10minutes he was laying on his silhouette taking a nap while the storm raged on.

Every one is different, the same goes for cats and dogs, and we all have different coping strategies that work for us. Yet for the most part, our brains work the same way. We all experience the same frequencies that regulate our moods and activity.

Now that we understand a bit of how all this works, its up to us to decide to use that knowledge for our benefit.

It seems that meditation is a recurring side topic in the brainwave field, so we'll spend Neuro~Waves III on skeptical theory. Until then, what is meditation to you and its relation to frequency?