Your brain uses electrical signals to communicate and organize input and process information. Every time your brain completes a task or has an activity, it generates brainwaves. These waves, or traces of electrical activity, can be seen via the brain scan process. Electroencephalogram EEG equipment can map the activity in the brain and provide you with a clear picture of the brainwaves a patient is experiencing. The brain scan process can reveal and measure four distinct types of brainwaves a patient is experiencing.
This information can then be used to uncover unhealthy patterns that could be causing anything from fatigue to insomnia. Understanding the different types of brainwaves and how the MyBrainDR team uses them can enhance your understanding of neurofeedback and how this process may be able to help you.
Brainwaves are identified by the electrical patterns they make and their frequency. Each type indicates a different state, from the dreamy, relaxed Delta to the snappy, active Beta waves. Each type is detailed below:. Delta Brainwaves: This brainwave is a low frequency and most often occurs while you are sleeping, relaxing or deeply meditating.
When you enter a Delta state, you are at rest or deeply asleep. Delta brainwaves are essential for restoration and rejuvenation. Theta Brainwaves: Like Delta brainwaves, theta waves occur when you are relaxing or sleeping, and indicate dreaming and focus. It reflects the state between wakefulness and sleep and relates to the subconscious mind. It is abnormal in awake adults but is perfectly normal in children up to 13 years old.
It is also normal during sleep. Theta is believed to reflect activity from the limbic system and hippocampal regions. Theta is observed in anxiety, behavioral activation and behavioral inhibition.
Under unusual emotional circumstances, such as stress or disease states, there may be an imbalance of three major transmitter systems, which results in aberrant behavior.
Back to our car example, Theta would be considered 2nd gear. Not as slow as 1st gear Delta but still not very fast. THETA 3. If suppressed, can improve concentration, ability to focus attention. Alpha waves are those between 8 and 12 Hz. Alpha waves will peak around 10Hz. Good healthy alpha production promotes mental resourcefulness, aids in the ability to mentally coordinate, enhances overall sense of relaxation and fatigue. In this state you can move quickly and efficiently to accomplish whatever task is at hand.
When Alpha predominates most people feel at ease and calm. Alpha appears to bridge the conscious to the subconscious. It is the major rhythm seen in normal relaxed adults — it is present during most of life especially beyond the thirteenth year when it dominates the resting tracing.
Alpha rhythms are reported to be derived from the white matter of the brain. The white matter can be considered the part of the brain that connects all parts with each other. Alpha is a common state for the brain and occurs whenever a person is alert it is a marker for alertness and sleep , but not actively processing information.
They are strongest over the occipital back of the head cortex and also over frontal cortex. Alpha has been linked to extroversion introverts show less , creativity creative subjects show alpha when listening and coming to a solution for creative problems , and mental work.
When your alpha is within normal ranges we tend to also experience good moods, see the world truthfully, and have a sense of calmness. You can increase alpha by closing your eyes or deep breathing or decrease alpha by thinking or calculating.
Alpha-Theta training can create an increase in sensation, abstract thinking and self-control. In our car scenario, Alpha would represent neutral or idle. The average human brain contains 86 billion neurons. These neurons communicate with one another to operate every part of your life. How the brain does this is it sends chemical and electrical signals from neuron to neuron using neurotransmitters.
These oscillating signals run at different frequencies depending on the current "state" of the brain. Brainwaves give us information on what state the brain is in currently. Brainwaves are electrical readings that reflect brain activity. These electrical impulses can vary in speed and are measured in cycles per second, or hertz Hz. You can detect a person's mental state and measure the electrical activity in specific brain areas related to a particular brain function while looking at the brainwave activity.
You can think about them as the ripples you can see on the water surface after throwing stones 1. There is always a presence of each brainwave in different parts of the brain, but some will be more pronounced than others depending on whether that person is mentally engaged or sleeping. The excessive amount of a specific wave in a particular region of the brain might indicate a learning disability or neurological injury, which we are exploring in this article. The most commonly measured brainwaves are Delta, Theta, Alpha, and Beta.
Each wave type indicates a level of activity that is occurring in the brain. If you get a brainwave scan, these are the type of waves your doctor will read 2 :. Delta Waves are the slowest type with the highest amplitude wavelength. These brainwaves are most commonly observed in people during deep sleep when no dreaming occurs. They are primarily located in the brain's right hemisphere during stages 3 and 4 of sleep and increase in intensity as the sleep becomes more profound.
Besides favoring deep sleep, reaching this mental state has many benefits 5 :. Although Delta waves are vital to deep, restorative sleep, if they're prominently experienced during the waking hours, they can affect brain performance. Therefore, excessive Delta waves have been associated with brain injuries, learning problems, and ADHD. The next step up from Delta waves are the Theta Brainwaves. They are particularly prevalent in the first stage of sleep and when people are daydreaming.
Theta waves are present when you wake up from a very light dream where you're not yet asleep nor fully conscious. In this light sleep, you can even have the sensation of dreaming or sensory hallucinations. Theta waves are also associated with REM sleep, as we have the most vivid dreams. In the waking state, Theta Waves are most profound during meditation, spiritual activities, and deep reflection. Great ideas can come from this state as people become more connected to their inner selves.
It is also a form of daydreaming. If you have ever been driving down a highway and found yourself in a state of mind where the last few miles went by in the blink of an eye, then you were in a mixture of Theta and Alpha states. When you're fully awake, the right proportion of theta waves has a few benefits:. Like Delta waves, excessive Theta waves during the waking hours could indicate issues with brain performance.
These range from head injuries to neurological deficits and an inability to focus and maintain attention. Alpha waves are usually found in the brain's occipital lobe when patients are typically awake with their eyes closed.
Opening our eyes would reduce the intensity of alpha brainwaves. These Alpha waves are not present when we are asleep. Another example might be walking through a garden in a contemplative state. Alpha brainwaves also relate to visualization and daydreaming. They increase as we reach a relaxed state of mind, and creative individuals have a higher ratio of alpha brainwaves. However, we can all increase alpha brainwaves by using visualization techniques, practicing meditation, and using deep-breathing exercises.
Using alpha waves brings out several benefits 3 :. As Alpha waves are also indicative of a relaxed state of mind, an excess of these waves in the frontal lobes has shown to indicate ADHD and depressive symptoms. These brainwaves are the 2nd fastest type of brain frequency and most accurately associated with the engaged brain. You will likely display Beta brainwaves when you're solving complex math problems or a puzzle.
When you're reading books, Beta brainwaves kick in, and some people have a higher rate of Beta brainwave activity depending on their cognitive abilities. It is usually higher in people who think logically, and increases, as we grow older. The downside of Beta brainwaves is that too much causes anxiety and stress.
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