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Comparative analysis of the effect of stimulation with a binaural beat and similar kinds of sounds on the falling asleep process: A brief note

  • Physiology
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Abstract

Beats are the physical phenomenon appearing when two oscillation processes of close frequencies are superimposed. In acoustics, there is also the concept of binaural beats, a subjective feeling of the listener when acoustic tones of slightly different frequencies are applied separately to each ear. Commercial products based on the effect of binaural beats enjoy steady popularity in the market of the modern technological tools for psycho- and physiotherapy. In particular, they are applied to improve sleep. But it is the objective evaluation of the physiologic effect of binaural beats on the sleep onset process that has very little evidence for support. This paper provides comparative analysis of the time to fall asleep determined by the onset of the second daytime sleep stage (sleep spindle appearance). The subjects listened to a monotonous sound of three similar kinds: a combination of binaural beats with pink noise, a similar sound with a combination of monaural beats, and a similar sound without any beat. Stimulation by the combination of binaural beats is shown to produce the least sleep onset time as compared to the similar sound containing monaural beats and to the similar sound without beats. Further investigation is required to obtain results that are more consistent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117485, Russia

    D. E. Shumov, G. N. Arsen’ev & V. B. Dorokhov

  2. Department of Normal Physiology, Medical Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, 117198, Russia

    D. S. Sveshnikov

Authors
  1. D. E. Shumov
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  2. G. N. Arsen’ev
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  3. D. S. Sveshnikov
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  4. V. B. Dorokhov
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. E. Shumov.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © D.E. Shumov, G.N. Arsen’ev, D.S. Sveshnikov, V.B. Dorokhov, 2017, published in Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 16: Biologiya, 2017, No. 1, pp. 39–43.

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Shumov, D.E., Arsen’ev, G.N., Sveshnikov, D.S. et al. Comparative analysis of the effect of stimulation with a binaural beat and similar kinds of sounds on the falling asleep process: A brief note. Moscow Univ. Biol.Sci. Bull. 72, 33–36 (2017). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0096392517010047

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0096392517010047

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