Lately, I’ve been on a bit of a kick exploring social-media-hyped remedies for everything from sleep and anxiety to overall health and even weight loss. You may have read my recent blogs on grounding and vagus nerve stimulation. Today, I wanted to look into another prominent “healing” technique being blasted all over social media: healing sound frequencies.

You’ve probably seen audio tracks online claiming to “tune your brain” using specific frequencies. They promise better focus, effortless sleep, appetite control, and even emotional balance. These clips often use terms like brainwave entrainment, binaural beats, or frequency healing, presenting them as nearly magical solutions.

As a mental health therapist treating anxiety and depression… I’m interested.

Is there real science behind this? Or is it just another modern wellness fad?

Hear me out! 😄

What Are Brainwave Frequencies - The Real Neuroscience?

Your brain communicates through electrical activity. This activity can be measured using EEG (electroencephalography) and is commonly categorized into frequency bands. Each band is associated with certain states of consciousness:

Wave Type

Frequency Range

Associated State

Delta

0.5–4 Hz

Deep sleep

Theta

4–8 Hz

Light sleep, meditation

Alpha

8–13 Hz

Relaxed alertness

Beta

13–30 Hz

Active thinking

Gamma

30+ Hz

Complex cognition and integration

These brainwave patterns are a real and measurable phenomenon in neuroscience and are broadly associated with different mental states. However, it’s important to note that the brain does not operate at a single frequency at a time—multiple waves are typically present simultaneously.

So, What Are “Frequency Tracks” and Binaural Beats?

Most of the frequency-based content you see online relies on a technique called binaural beats.

Here’s how it works: you hear two slightly different tones—one in each ear. Your brain then perceives a third tone equal to the difference between the two frequencies. For example, if you hear a 200 Hz tone in your left ear and a 210 Hz tone in your right ear, your brain perceives a 10 Hz beat—even though no actual 10 Hz sound is being played.

This auditory illusion is often described as brainwave entrainment, a theory suggesting that the brain may synchronize its activity to the perceived frequency.

What Does the Science Say?

There is some evidence that binaural beats can influence mood, attention, and anxiety—but the effects are generally modest.

Research findings include:

• Meta-analyses suggest binaural beats may produce small-to-moderate effects on attention and specific cognitive tasks, depending on frequency, duration, and individual differences.
• Some studies show improvements in working memory or sustained attention, though results are inconsistent.
• Several studies report small reductions in anxiety and increased relaxation compared to silence.

So yes—for focus, mood, and anxiety regulation, there may be real, measurable effects.

What About Sleep?

Many people turn to binaural beats for sleep, particularly low-frequency (delta or theta) tracks. Some studies suggest these frequencies may encourage brainwave patterns associated with sleep.

However, controlled trials often find little difference between binaural beat audio and regular relaxing music in sleep outcomes. While some individuals report better sleep, the evidence is not yet strong or consistent.

What the Science Does Not Support

At this time, there is no strong scientific evidence that listening to specific frequencies reliably:

• controls appetite,
• boosts metabolism,
• heals physical tissues, or
• produces consistent physiological changes beyond relaxation or mood shifts.

These claims are popular in wellness spaces but lack rigorous scientific backing.

Further, there have been claims—primarily in alternative wellness and online communities—that specific sound frequencies can heal severe medical conditions, including cancer. However, these claims are not supported by peer-reviewed scientific evidence. Existing research on sound frequencies and binaural beats focuses on brain activity, mood, anxiety, and perception, not on curing diseases or repairing biological tissue.

Placebo or Real Effect? Probably Both.

A few key takeaways:

• Brainwave changes can be measured during binaural beat listening, but the link between those changes and meaningful improvements in health or cognition is still unclear.
• Some benefits may come from the ritual itself—similar to meditation, ambient music, or simply taking a mindful pause.
• Individual responses vary widely. Some people notice subtle benefits; others feel nothing at all.

It’s not magic—but it can be a supportive tool when paired with healthy habits.

Tips If You Decide to Try Binaural Beats

• Use headphones. Binaural beats require each ear to receive a different tone.
• True binaural beats will not work as intended if someone has significant hearing loss in one or both ears, especially if the hearing loss is asymmetrical.
• Expect mild effects, not dramatic changes.
• Use them as a relaxation or focus aid—not a treatment.
• Pair them with evidence-based habits like good sleep hygiene, mindfulness, regular breaks, and structured focus sessions.

Resources & References

• Chaieb, L., Wilpert, E. C., Reber, T. P., & Fell, J. (2015). Auditory beat stimulation and its effects on cognition and mood states. Frontiers in Psychiatry.
• Garcia-Argibay, M., Santed, M. A., & Reales, J. M. (2019). Efficacy of binaural auditory beats in cognition, anxiety, and pain perception: A meta-analysis. Psychological Research.
• Goodin, P., Ciorciari, J., Baker, K., Carrey, A. M., Harper, M., & Kaufman, J. (2012). A high-density EEG investigation into steady state binaural beat stimulation. PLoS One.
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep
• Harvard Medical School – Division of Sleep Medicine. Music, sound, and sleep
• American Psychological Association (APA). Stress reduction and relaxation techniques

· Garcia-Argibay, M., Santed, M. A., & Reales, J. M. (2019). Efficacy of binaural auditory beats in cognition, anxiety, and pain perception: A meta-analysis. Psychological Research.

· Chaieb, L., Wilpert, E. C., Reber, T. P., & Fell, J. (2015). Auditory beat stimulation and its effects on cognition and mood states. Frontiers in Psychiatry.

· National Cancer Institute (NCI). Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer Care — states there is no evidence that sound or frequency therapies cure cancer.

· American Cancer Society. Music Therapy and Sound Therapy — describes use for comfort and stress reduction, not disease treatment.

· National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Energy Therapies — notes lack of scientific evidence for frequency-based healing claims.