Discover how binaural beats and hypnotherapy can work together to support relaxation, focus and self-hypnosis, and learn how hypnosis recordings can help you relax.
If you’ve ever listened to a relaxation or meditation recording and noticed how quickly you began to feel calmer, you may have experienced the benefits of combining sound with relaxation.
Binaural beats and hypnotherapy are two approaches that are increasingly used to support relaxation, focus and wellbeing. While they can each be used independently, combining binaural beats with hypnosis can create a calming environment that may help some people settle more easily into a relaxed and focused state.
But what exactly are binaural beats, and how do they relate to hypnotherapy?
What Are Binaural Beats?
Binaural beats are an auditory effect created when two slightly different sound frequencies are played separately into each ear, usually through headphones.
For example, one ear might hear a tone of 200 Hz while the other hears a tone of 210 Hz. Your brain perceives the difference between the two frequencies as a 10 Hz beat.
This perceived beat is sometimes used in meditation, relaxation and hypnosis recordings with the aim of encouraging a particular mental state.
Binaural beats aren’t a form of hypnosis themselves. Instead, they can be used as part of a relaxing environment that may help you to focus your attention and switch off from everyday distractions.
Binaural Beats and Different States of Awareness
Different frequencies are commonly associated with different patterns of brain activity and mental states.
| Brainwave | Frequency | Commonly Associated With |
|---|
| Beta | 13–30 Hz | Alertness, concentration and active thinking |
| Alpha | 8–12 Hz | Relaxation, calmness and reflective thinking |
| Theta | 4–7 Hz | Deep relaxation, meditation and hypnosis |
| Delta | 0.5–3 Hz | Deep sleep |
Alpha and Theta frequencies are often used in relaxation and hypnotherapy recordings because they are associated with increasingly relaxed states of awareness.
You don’t need to consciously try to reach a particular brainwave state, however. The purpose of a hypnotherapy session is not to make you achieve a particular frequency, but to help you become relaxed, focused and receptive to the therapeutic process.
How Does Hypnotherapy Work?
Hypnotherapy uses relaxation, focused attention and therapeutic suggestion to help you enter a state of hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a natural state of focused awareness that most people experience from time to time. You might recognise it as the feeling of becoming completely absorbed in a book, film or daydream, or travelling a familiar route without consciously remembering every detail of the journey.
During hypnotherapy, this naturally occurring state is used deliberately to help you focus your attention and work towards positive change.
Depending on what you’re hoping to achieve, hypnotherapy may be used to help with issues such as:
The approach is tailored to the individual, because everyone responds to hypnosis differently.
How Can Binaural Beats Be Used During Hypnotherapy?
Binaural beats can be incorporated into hypnosis recordings or used alongside guided relaxation. For some people, the repetitive and calming nature of the sounds provides another point of focus, making it easier to put aside everyday thoughts and distractions.
Supporting Relaxation
One of the main reasons binaural beats are used alongside hypnosis is to create a calm and relaxing environment.
When you’re busy thinking about work, family, appointments and everything else happening in everyday life, it can sometimes be difficult to switch off. Having something calming to listen to can help you focus your attention on the present moment rather than continuing to think about everything else.
Helping You Settle Into Hypnosis
Some people find that listening to relaxing sounds helps them become comfortable with hypnosis more quickly.
As you become familiar with the experience, you may find that your mind and body naturally begin to associate the sounds with relaxation. Over time, simply hearing the beginning of a familiar hypnosis recording may become a signal that it’s time to slow down and relax.
Reducing Mental Distractions
When your mind is busy, it can be difficult to concentrate on a hypnotherapy recording. Binaural beats provide an additional auditory focus that may help some people put everyday distractions to one side.
This doesn’t mean that you need to completely empty your mind. Thoughts will naturally come and go during hypnosis. The aim isn’t to stop thinking altogether, but to allow your attention to become more relaxed and focused.
Can Binaural Beats Help With Anxiety and Stress?
Relaxation is an important part of managing stress and anxiety, and some people find binaural beat recordings helpful as part of their relaxation routine. When combined with hypnotherapy, the recording can provide a calming background while the therapeutic part of the session focuses on helping you develop more helpful thoughts, feelings and responses.
However, binaural beats aren’t a treatment for anxiety or other mental health conditions by themselves. If you’re experiencing persistent anxiety or another mental health difficulty, it’s important to seek appropriate professional support.
Binaural Beats and Sleep
Binaural beats are also commonly used in relaxation and sleep recordings. Listening to a calming hypnosis recording before going to bed can become part of a relaxing bedtime routine, particularly if anxiety or a busy mind makes it difficult to switch off.
Rather than trying to force yourself to fall asleep, the focus can be on allowing your body and mind to become progressively more relaxed. For some people, this can make a hypnosis recording a useful addition to their bedtime routine.
Can You Use Binaural Beats for Self-Hypnosis?
Yes, binaural beats can be incorporated into recordings designed for relaxation or self-hypnosis.
Self-hypnosis can be a useful way of continuing to practise the skills and techniques introduced during hypnotherapy sessions. The more familiar you become with relaxation and hypnosis, the easier it may become to recognise the feeling of entering a calm, focused state.
Listening to a familiar recording can also provide a regular opportunity to pause, slow down and give yourself some time away from the demands of everyday life.
Do Binaural Beats Work for Everyone?
As with hypnosis itself, everyone responds differently. Some people really enjoy listening to binaural beats and find that they help them relax and focus. Others may prefer music, nature sounds, silence or simply listening to the hypnotherapist’s voice without any additional sounds.
There is no right or wrong way to experience hypnosis. The most important thing is finding an approach that feels comfortable and helpful for you.
Binaural Beats and Hypnotherapy: A Complementary Approach
Binaural beats aren’t necessary for hypnotherapy to work, and you don’t need to listen to a particular frequency to experience hypnosis. However, for some people, they can be a useful addition to a hypnosis or relaxation recording by providing a calming auditory focus.
Ultimately, hypnotherapy is about much more than the sounds you hear. The most important part is the therapeutic process itself—the opportunity to relax, focus your attention and work towards changing the thoughts, feelings and responses that may be holding you back.
Experience Hypnosis for Yourself
If you’re curious about what hypnosis feels like, listening to a guided hypnosis recording can be a gentle way to experience deep relaxation in your own time.
If you’d like to find out more about hypnotherapy and how it could help you, you can also arrange a free consultation to discuss what you’d like to achieve and whether hypnotherapy could be right for you.
