My personal brain entrainment results

[BartM]

I figured I’d do some experimenting with the brain wave programs on the M1 while measuring my brain waves with a muse S EEG sensor. To start with, I did a 10 minute test with the Alpha program (i chose Alpha because that seems to be the easiest brainwave range to affect).

So, while sitting in a chair, with eyes open at all times, and not doing anything (not trying to meditate, or deep breathe, and also not trying to do anything mentally active), I measured my brainwaves for just under 10 minutes. the first five minutes to get a baseline, and then at exactly 5 minutes in, I turned on the M1 on Alpha/10, coils just above both temples.

Here’s the graphs of the results:

First, Alpha waves, since that’s what the M1 was set to:

Notice that at 5 minutes in, (11.28am), nothing really happens.

the graph for Delta and Theta was just as unremarkable, so not posting it here.

Then we have Beta:

Notice that at exactly 11.28, the graph kicks up a bit, the range contracts a bit, and stays higher and more contracted for the duration.

Then we have Gamma:

An even more obvious jump in intensity of Gamma waves at exactly the time that the M1 was turned on.

This is just my first run at this, so I won’t draw any conclusions yet I’m going to continue posting, future results of this type of experiment, while changing the intensity, program, location of coils…

I’m also very curious if what I’m doing is measuring the actual change in brainwave activity caused by the M1, or simply measuring the direct interference that the M1 is causing on the EEG. I have no idea how EEG technology works. I’m wondering if anyone knows anything about that. Obviously, there would be no use in running this type of experiment if all I’m seeing is how the electromagnetic field of the M1 is interfering with the EEG monitor.

[capefibro]

Very interesting, keep us informed. I’m using a David Delight AVE device, nice design, to try to get alpaha waves entrained to decrease neuropathic pain. Seemed to tamp down bodywide pain when modest, no help for severe pain. Has lots of other settings.

[BartM]

Here’s another run, this time Delta/15. Coils just above the temples, eyes open throughout. Just sitting there throughout, but not trying to meditate.

First five minutes, the M1 was off to establish a baseline. In the first two minutes, there was a bunch of funky lost connections between the headband and the app, so really the baseline is 6.32pm-6.35pm. At 6.35, M1 was turned on, and at 6.40, it was turned back off. Below is a graph of the Delta brainwave measurment:

there isn’t much of a difference between the M1-off portion and the M1-on portion, definitely no increase in Delta brainwave levels.

All the other brainwaves (theta, alpha, beta, gamma) were equally unremarkable, with no difference between the M1-on and M1-off portions.

btw, this test didn’t feel very good. I think that the high (15) level was maybe a bit much. kinda felt like a mild headache was coming on while the thing was on.

[OptimalHealth]

without any metrics, i didn’t find any repeatable nor consistent results from using Delta or theta sleeping with them … however, i did find more restful sleep and repeatable results using the Omni. my Garmin watch recorded less restlessness and i didn’t wake up in the middle of the night all the times I’ve used the stack coils on forehead (about 8 nights) (power 8,10 and 13 were fine for me)

even with coffee late in the day, i was able to have uninterrupted sleep. typically, I’d wake up at 2/3a and not be able to fall back asleep for 30-90 mins range…

i have only done about 8 days bc the ticking drives my wife crazy and she’s a light sleeper

the days i was able to use were when i was sleeping downstairs with the new pup during adjustment and days that my wife might fall asleep downstairs watching TV

[BartM]

Interesting observation! Well, so far, even after only two tests, your experience is in line with my EEG findings, that the slow Delta pulsing doesn’t change brainwaves (at lest for me).

[Bob]

this is very interesting, thanks. This may be another instance of “too much is too much” regarding intensity. Just anecdotally, mid-range intensity really does seem to work better for a lot of people for a lot of different uses.

Of course, the plural of “anecdote” is “data”, just sayin’…

[BartM]

Today’s run is back to Alpha setting on the M1, but with power down to 5, and with coils on the forhead, side to side (not stacked).

Started measuring at 1.08, turned on the M1 at 1.12, and turned it off at 1.18.

No noticeable effect on the Alpha brainwaves:

And unlike the previous Alpha test, no noticeable change on Beta and Gamma (and all others, not shown):

[BartM]

Today is same as the first post, except I’m running theta instead of alpha. Same intensity: 10. Same coil position: just above the temples. Eyes open and not thinking about anything in partucular. M1 was turned on at 10.00:30 and turned off at 10:05:30

The Theta graph shows not change throughout (same for Delta and Alpha, not shown):

And similar to the first post, both Beta and Gamma show a sudden increase at exactly the time M1 was turned on, and back down at exactly the time it was turned off:

Still not sure if what is being picked up is an actual change in brain waves or interference directly from the M1. I noticed two additional things today:

First, as soon as the M1 is turned off, brainwaves immediately revert. This could mean that it’s in fact interference, or that brainwaves are altered by the M1, but not through entertainment. If it was entrainment, we should see a change in the theta, not gamma and beta, and we should see the change continue for some time after the M1 is turned off.

Second, the rise in levels of beta and gamma are seen only on the sensors that are located right above both ears, and not at all on sensors that are on the forhead. Next time, I’ll run a test with the coils on the forehead, and see what happens.

[OptimalHealth]

curious… what if the change takes some time for those just starting? when used on other parts of the body for inflammation, i get results as early as 15 mins and other areas, 30,60 mins…

i wonder if 5 mins will eventually work over a longer timeline… maybe on the 20th (or 40th?) session things may start to show

btw, did that change you’re noticing in the last test happen in the other tests you’ve done in previous days?

keep up the experimenting👍🏽

[BartM]

That’s a very good point. I’ll have to do a much longer run at some point. Would love to do 30min+, but I figured I’d start with shorter runs at first.

That change in the beta and gamma waves has only happened when the coils are by the temples, and when the power is 10. The few trials where the power was significantly higher or lower, and the runs that had the coils on the front of the head didn’t measure any noticable change in any brainwaves so far. But I just can’t tell yet which variables are the ones that actually matter.

[Bob]

OK, this is excellent detail with thoughtful observations, thanks.

[LWM]

Please keep testing and posting! This is so incredibly helpful. I was debating buying this specifically for brainwave entrainment, so I will stay tuned. Hoping that you get better results with longer sessions. I know the David Delight sessions run 15 minutes and up, and I got great results with that, but I was using a providers system along with their PEMF and was hoping I could buy one device for both.

[OptimalHealth]

@LWM

I know the David Delight sessions run 15 minutes and up, and I got great results with that, but I was using a providers system along with their PEMF

@BartM this alone makes me wonder if 15 mins might be the time to test if another device was giving positive feedback of it working.

definitely glad you’re making the time to figure this out👍🏽

[BartM]

I’m glad you’re finding these useful, @LWM. And you’re right, @OptimalHealth, I was curious about that too, so here’s a run with a few different parametrs, including M1-on time, which is 20 minutes:

Here, I’m running Delta, with coils at the forhead, (side to side, not stacked), intensity 10. Eyes open, and mindlessly playing my guitar throughout, to help pass the time (i’ve chosen intensity 10, because that seemed to be the only intensity that did anything observable in other tests)

I’m turning on the M1 at 1:32, and turning it off at 1:52.

Here’s all the (not averaged) data for the Delta brainwave, with no upward change with the M1 engaged:

None of the other brainwaves showed any clear reaction to the M1, specifically, the Beta and Gamma waves did not react like they did in other tests where the coils are at the temples.

As another look, here’s a graph with all the brainwave data averaged, and displayed relative to eachother, in other words, a rise in the graph does not necessarily indicate a rise in the brainwave intensity, just a rise relative to other brainwaves:

This type of graph supposedly can be more telling about what’s actually going on in the brain, and here, the main difference is that Alpha is pulling away from others (probably as a result of just sitting in one place for a long time, noodling on a guitar, and as a result going into a more meditative state). I can also see there that Delta is actually going down, relative to others.

And strangely, when I graph Delta in an averaged way (so it’s not all super zig-zaggy), and absolute, not relative to others, I can see it going down throughout, and maybe starting to pull back up when I turned the M1 off. Either way, certainly no Delta entrainment there:

Oh, and by the way, all these graphs look very similar regardless of which specific sensors I’m looking at. the front of head sensor data is similar to the temple sensors. All the graphs are displaying ALL the sensor data.

[OptimalHealth]

hmm how underwhelming… @BartM however, the device that @LWM was talking about…i wonder in what ways it’s different.

being that ices is low powered , i wonder if that makes any difference and what the effects are relative to time.

the device you’re using to measure brainwaves… is there any way to see if a particular frequency lasts longer when m1 is tuned to that and how that compares to baseline?

again, thanks for your time and sharing!

[BartM]

@LWM, correct me if I’m wrong, but the david delight device doesn’t work on electromagnetism, just audiovisual entrainment. am I right?

@OptimalHealth

the device you’re using to measure brainwaves… is there any way to see if a particular frequency lasts longer when m1 is tuned to that and how that compares to baseline?

well, that’s kind of what I’ve been trying to do, by first establishing a baseline by measuring the brainwaves without the M1 on, then turning it on and off. Sadly, there’s only so much that a non-professional with little to no knowledge of the subject, with a cheap consumer EEG band can do.

If I was to take a guess, i would say that the “underwhelming” results so far might have to do with the waveform more than the strength of the M1.

First of all, the one PEMF device that I know of specifically and solely made for brain applications (NeoRhythm) is much weaker than the M1 (25 gauss).

Secondly, if I was to design a brain entrainment device, the first thing i’d try is a trapezoid or a sine wave, not a short duty cycle pulse wave. Think of it this way: if you wanted to “entrain” a wave into a tub of water, would you take a paddle, stick it in the water and give it very quick, sharp, pulses, with plenty of holding still in between, or would you give the paddle slow, but constant, sine-wave like undulating motion? Which one would you think would be more effective in getting the water in the tub to be “entrained” with waves? So, although the ICES waveform might be very effective for various healing applications, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was exactly wrong for brainwave entrainment.

And I have two pieces of evidence to support this: first, the NeoRhythm device that’s specifically designed for effecting brainwaves is a trapezoid waveform, not a pulse wave. Second, the Bemer device, which I own, which I believe makes a sine wave, clearly affects my Muse EEG readings , even though it’s extremely weak (like 1.5 gauss maybe).

Here’s a short run with the bemer:

It’s being turned on at 7.56, runs for two cycles, and is turned off just after 7.59. You can clearly see this reflected in the beta and gamma brainwaves, and you can also tell, that after the 2nd cycle, when I turn it off for good, the beta and gamma brainwaves keep on being a bit higher than during the first three minutes, which is a baseline, which might imply that they have been entrained to a certain degree. The bemer is not designed for brain entrainment though, and it has no ability to choose frequency. And I don’t really feel any different after running the bemer on my head.

Anyway, I’ll keep tinkering with the M1 and the Muse a bit more. Who knows what I might come up on?

[OptimalHealth]

my bad…i was assuming pemf and not audio visual… i should’ve reread. thanks for explaining more details of what you’ve worked with and are familiar with!

i don’t know how my m1 is affecting my brainwaves, but i do simply know that the Omni on my gut or forehead consistently give me restful sleeps! I’m gonna catch some zzz’s with my m1 on my liver tonight and get some solid, quality sleep👍🏽

thanks again @

[TajD]

@BartM, in addition to the Bemer and NeoRhythym, have you considered trying the Lumenate app (there are a couple free light/sound programs in the app) while wearing the Muse? I am very curious what the Muse graphs would show.

[LWM]

@BartM THANK YOU! I am also trying to figure out if the hideous expense of the Bemer is worth it. I know it has really helped my overall health as well as exercise recovery with just two sessions a week, so I’m wondering if it’s worth purchasing. When I use the David Delight it has been while using the Bemer mat, so maybe I’m getting a double dose of entrainment that way. I do know it’s made a huge difference with anxiety as well as my foot, hand and knee issues using the Bemer spot treatment as well, so maybe I just need to bite the bullet. I was hoping that the M1 would be a more affordable option that merged the two technologies, but it’s not looking that way…

[BartM]

I’m glad this is helpful, @LWM.

I’ve had a Bemer and used it most days for 6 years+. For me, it seems to be very good at one thing, and not good at all at everything else. I posted about it here: Thoughts on PEMF Manufacturers

And do keep in mind that the Bemer won’t do anything as far as brain entrainment. As I found, it does alter brain waves, but similarly to some of my M1 tests, it does so only with the high (beta and gamma) frequencies. As you know, you can’t pick different frequencies on the Bemer. Also, I still haven’t completely eliminated the posibility of these Muse EEG band results simply showing interference, regardless of whether it’s the Bemer or the M1.

Yeah, the Bemer is wildly expensive, and if someone is trying to convince you of its benefits, they are probably trying to get that MLM money too. But I’m glad you’ve been finding it helpful!