YouTube is chock-full of binaural beat sound compilations that are touted as being able to help relieve stress and increase focus. The question is: do they really work? According to a Popular Science article, the science is still unclear as to whether they work as purported.
According to the article, binaural beats are an “illusion” that are caused by the “frequency mismatch” of two pure tones separated in each ear. The mismatch causes a third tone that your brain creates as a filler sound to bridge the difference between the mismatched sounds.
One recent study quoted in the article showed no evidence that the beats had any measurable effect on cognitive performance or mood change.
To read the article in its entirety, please click here.
Source: Popular Science