For a calming effect, a range of 8 to 13 Hz is best.

The theory is that this “beat” can produce a range of effects from deep relaxation to greater alertness, depending on its frequency. It’ll sound like a tone that gets softer and louder throughout the track. The difference between the two frequencies (in this example, 10 Hz) is known as the binaural beat-a third frequency that only your unconscious brain registers. 2 For example, the right ear might be exposed to a frequency of 310 Hz, while the left ear is exposed to a frequency of 320 Hz. When you listen to binaural beats, your left and right ear receive slightly different frequencies of sound, according to a 2020 study published in the journal eNeuro. What are binaural beats and how do they work? 1 But the question remains: Does this form of music therapy benefit your health in any way? Here, experts break down how binaural beats work, their potential to calm your mind, and more. Some researchers are going so far as to call them “digital drugs,” as people claim these sounds make them feel high (though a further look into the study shows that people who are looking for psychoactive effects from binaural beats are, in fact, also using psychedelics).

It’s not a new phenomenon-a scientist discovered them in the 1800s-but a quick search for binaural beats online uncovers hundreds of YouTube videos claiming to help with everything from anxiety to sleep issues.

If the otherworldly, soothing tones of binaural beats have been popping up in your “listen to next” feed, you might be wondering what these mysterious beats are and why they’re taking over the internet.

Binaural frequencies