Understanding brainwaves
This isn’t a biology lesson. I wrote this to help you understand the different ways your mind works. It’s an important reminder that we aren’t built to be going flat-out all the time. We need balance.
It all started with the invention of the electroencephalogram (EEG machine). This device monitors the electrical signals in the brain. It measures the time and strength of them and they are literally presented in waves. There are typically five types of brainwaves:
Gamma
This is the highest frequency. The wave is intense and highly packed. Someone in a gamma state is probably concentrating and intensely focusing on something. The brain is in overdrive, diverting everything it can to solve the problems it’s presented with.
Beta
This is still pretty intense, but there’s more space between the waves. Someone who is busy and active will be in a beta state. As you’ve probably guessed, they will probably be able to be in this state for longer than the intense gamma state.
Alpha
While the waves are still strong, the gaps are bigger between them. Someone in an alpha state is likely to be relaxed and resting. It’s the state we’re in when we’re meditating. It’s good for us.
Theta
The gaps get even longer. Typically, when we’re in this state, we’re not asleep but we’re getting there. It’s when we’re tired and drowsy. How do you act when you feel like this? We also enter into a theta state in REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, when we dream.
Delta
These are the lowest frequency brainwaves. We enter this state in deep, restorative non-REM sleep. It’s the lowest state of activity a brain will be in. It’s where the mind and body rests and restores itself.
Now we’ve explored the different states your brain will cycle through most days, we can start to think about how we approach each day. The biology here shows us we need balance in our lives. As I said, we’re not built to be going flat-out all the time.
We can also boost our alpha state by practicing meditation. The importance of sleep also becomes clear, as we need this time to restore.
Three easy things you can do right now:
Think about when you really need to be in the gamma state
Think about how much time you spend in the alpha state
Think about how long you’re likely to be in that restorative sleep state
I hope this has been helpful.