Which brain waves are the fastest

Other more conservative investigators calculate that if all 10 billion interconnected nerve cells discharged at one time that a single electrode placed on the human scalp would record something like five millionths to 50 millionths of a volt. If you had enough scalps hooked up you might be able to light a flashlight bulb. Even though this electrical power is very limited, it does occur in very specific ways that are characteristic of the human brain.

Electrical activity emanating from the brain is displayed in the form of brainwaves. There are four categories of these brainwaves, ranging from the most activity to the least activity. When the brain is aroused and actively engaged in mental activities, it generates beta waves.

These beta waves are of relatively low amplitude, and are the fastest of the four different brainwaves. The frequency of beta waves ranges from 15 to 40 cycles a second. Beta waves are characteristics of a strongly engaged mind. A person in active conversation would be in beta. A debater would be in high beta. A person making a speech, or a teacher, or a talk show host would all be in beta when they are engaged in their work.

The next brainwave category in order of frequency is alpha. Where beta represented arousal, alpha represents non-arousal. Alpha brainwaves are slower, and higher in amplitude. Their frequency ranges from 9 to 14 cycles per second. A person who has completed a task and sits down to rest is often in an alpha state. A person who takes time out to reflect or meditate is usually in an alpha state. The lowest frequencies are delta. These are less than 4 Hz and occur in deep sleep and in some abnormal processes.

It is the dominant rhythm in infants up to one year of age and it is present in stages 3 and 4 of sleep. It tends to be the highest in amplitude and the slowest waves. We increase Delta waves in order to decrease our awareness of the physical world. We also access information in our unconscious mind through Delta. Peak performers decrease Delta waves when high focus and peak performance are required. However, most individuals diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, naturally increase rather than decrease Delta activity when trying to focus.

The inappropriate Delta response often severely restricts the ability to focus and maintain attention. It is as if the brain is locked into a perpetual drowsy state.

Another way to look at Delta is to imagine you are driving in a car and you shift into 1st gear…. So Delta would represent 1st gear. The next brainwave is theta.

Theta activity has a frequency of 3. It is seen in connection with creativity, intuition, daydreaming, and fantasizing and is a repository for memories, emotions, sensations.

Theta waves are strong during internal focus, meditation, prayer, and spiritual awareness. It reflects the state between wakefulness and sleep and relates to the subconscious mind. It is abnormal in awake adults but is perfectly normal in children up to 13 years old.

It is also normal during sleep. Theta is believed to reflect activity from the limbic system and hippocampal regions. Alpha brainwaves are some of the most easily observed and were the first to be discovered. They become detectable when the eyes are closed and the mind is relaxed. They can also often be found during activities such as:.

The source is probably frontal parts of the brain, which are associated with monitoring of other mental processes. Research has also shown a positive association of theta waves with memory, creativity, and psychological well-being. These are the slowest of all brainwaves and are strongest when we are enjoying restorative sleep in a dreamless state.

Is it possible to change how much we experience these different brainwaves, and the brain states and thought experiences associated with them? In short, yes. For decades, practitioners have engaged in training programs which are intended to reinforce the brain states which produce increases in certain brain oscillations and decreases in others.

The most common example of this, called neurofeedback, can utilize EEG or other brain-sensing modalities. Neurofeedback practitioners and clinicians find that immediate, direct feedback on brain states, whether in the form of sound, light or even a video game, can produce changes in underlying behaviors and brain states that are reflected in brainwaves.

This feedback seems to accelerate the learning process, by making brain states more apparent to the recipient. Another important discovery in the recent history of neuroscience is the significant differences in brainwave characteristics of highly experienced meditators. Expert meditators not only have different resting-state brainwaves from non-meditators — but they also seem able to control their brainwaves through voluntary thought control with greater ease than others.

So how do we start to improve our ability to control our brainwaves? Another possible way to help your brain produce more gamma waves?

Eat pistachios. While this suggestion might raise your eyebrows, a study showed that eating certain nuts, notably pistachios, seemed to produce a greater gamma wave response. According to the same study, popping peanuts could generate more delta waves. While more research is needed to further explain this association, we know from other research that nuts offer numerous other health benefits. Your brain cycles through all five of the different types of brain waves at various times. Imagine yourself flipping through a radio dial, stopping for a little while to catch a tune on each station before moving on to the next.

This is similar to how your brain cycles through brain waves. But there are factors that can disrupt this healthy balance. Stress , a lack of sleep , certain medications, and other factors can affect your brain and the type of brain waves it produces. Injuries to the brain may also play a role. Specifically, mild injury had occurred to two of the four lobes of their cerebral cortex, the prefontal cortex, and the posterior parietal lobe.

According to the researchers, the abnormal level of gamma waves was associated with poorer cognitive function. The researchers concluded, in the future, evidence of unusual gamma wave activity might spur further investigation into mild head injuries that might otherwise get overlooked. Your brain normally produces five different types of brain waves at different times. Each type of brain wave moves at a different speed.

Some are fast while others are slower. Although they can be hard to measure accurately, they tend to measure above 35 Hz and can oscillate as fast as Hz. Gamma waves help you process information.