Traditional & Alternative Medicine

Binaural Beat Technology (BBT) is an auditory neurophysiologic technique which uses auditory tones (oft en embedded in music) dichotically via stereo headphones to manipulate brainwave activity. Using the Monroe Institute’s Hemi-Sync technology, a double-blinded, randomized, repeated measure study was conducted to assess the eff ect of BBT (in the theta brainwave frequency)

on the cardiovascular (CV) stress response. A sample of 74 United States military service members (age 22-61) with complaint of post deployment anxiety was randomly divided into two groups (music with BBT and music without BBT). Each group was exposed to their respective intervention for a minimum of 30 minutes at bedtime, three times a week, for a total of four weeks. Participants underwent pre and post 20-minute heart rate variability tests to assess the eff ect of using the technology. A 2x2 mixed Analysis of Variance was conducted and found a statistical signifi cant diff erence (F(1, 63) = 7.56, p=0.008 (η2=0.107) in the low frequency HRV measures, whereas the Music with BBT group showed a decrease while the Music Only group showed an increase (Pre = 77.83, Post = 75.33 vs. Pre = 66.42, Post = 74.41). A statistical signifi cant diff erence was also found in the high frequency HRV measures (F(1, 63) = 7.56, p = .008 (η2 = .107) whereas the Music with BBT group showed an increase while the Music Only group showed a decrease (Pre = 22.17, Post = 24.67 vs. Pre = 33.58, Post = 25.94). Finally, the Music Only group showed a signifi cant decrease (F (1, 57) = 4.39, p = .041 (η2 = .072) in Total Power HRV measures when compared to the Music with BBT group (Pre = 2098.90; Post = 985.26 vs. Pre=1249.75; Post=1223.07).