how to create a session for relaxation

[deerock]

hi there,

i am trying to create manual sessions. i generally understand the process and have created a few of my own sessions. its a ton of fun and i love playing around with the glasses.

my question is how do i create a session that will induce a deeply relaxed state and not make me fall asleep? i have read that alpha is the state that i am desiring and i have read that alpha brain waves are around 7-14 mhz.

i created one 60 minute session that was just 7.5 and i didnt do anything fancy. i think it was 7.5 and ended at 8.

are there any special settings that i need to apply in the editor software or can i just accept the defaults?

is 7.5 the ideal frequency to get into an alpha state or should it be higher or lower? should it alternate between alpha and theta?

just wondering what your experience has been and what has worked for you. thanks.

[CraigT]

That's a tricky one - if you're aiming for deep relaxation, then anything added to maintain your attention is likely to work against you.

How do you get on with the preset relaxation sessions? They use all sorts of pitch and beat variations, along with color changes to maintain interest. Binaural beats are very dreamy, pulse-type beats are rather less likely to lull one into sleep.

A 60 minute session without variations is going to require quite a bit of discipline to stay awake. My view is that if you go to sleep, your brain has decided sleep is more useful to it than the session - not necessarily a bad thing. Are you getting enough quality sleep?

There's no 'ideal' frequencies. 7.5Hz is close to the Schumann Resonance of 7.83Hz. I've had results with 7.8Hz that are surprisingly different to neighbouring alpha frequencies.

Alpha (7-12Hz) is good for 'do nothing' relaxation. Theta tends to require a mental purpose, otherwise slipping into sleep is just too easy. Low beta (aka SMR, 12-15Hz) is also very restful, but also a little bit invigorating. It can also help to improve normal sleep patterns.

Cheers,
Craig

[Marisa]

In addition to what Craig said ...

You don't want to have a program that focuses on one frequency for too long or else habituation will occur. Also, since everyone's brains are different, 7.5 Hz may not be the ideal frequency for you.

I would look at something in the Alpha/SMR range. You may want to add a few short segments that ramp up to 24 Hz or higher if you like. You will want to keep those segments around a minute or under.

Segments make the program more interesting and the more interesting the program, the less likely you will fall asleep. I also agree with what Craig has said regarding a bit of sleep during a session can leave you refreshed and energized once it's over.

It may be easier for you to take one of the pre-existing programs and modify it.

Preset programs that may help you achieve your goal are: 9, 13, 18, 33. Some of these have some theta in them and it may be worth while trying each of them and seeing which one works best for you. If your brain is tired, then a few minutes in Theta will help refresh you. If your brain is rested and you want a bit more of a boost, then the Alpha/SMR range is good.

Hope this helps.

M.

[deerock]

Thanks a lot Craig. This is helpful. A couple of questions and an answer.

The preset relaxation sessions (I assume youre referring to 13-16) are a little too ?noisy? for me. They are too stimulating.

I do get enough quality sleep on average and I agree with you, if I fall asleep during a session, its because I need to sleep!
That makes me want to restate my original question. I do not want the proteus to keep me awake. I want to proteus to make me relax. If I fall asleep, so be it.

So when you said you had results at 7.8Hz that were different than neighboring alpha frequencies, can you elaborate on what the results were and how they were different?
When you say alpha 7-12Hz is good for do nothing relaxation, do you recommend making a session that has a variation of frequencies that range from 7-12Hz or is this something that is very individual and staying in the 7-12hz is a guideline? Ie: 7hz is going to deeply relax one person but 9Hz is going to deeply relax another?


Also, the setting with the Dual LFO's and Sync, what is your experience when using these? Does the same rule of less variability and less stimulation apply in terms of reaching a relaxed state? That would mean if I want more relaxation, I should not check dual LFO's and not check sync? Again, I understand if the answer to this is "depends, try it and see what happens to YOU."


I am not sure I understand the binaural beats setting. The manual says that this works best if the audiowave form is a sin wave. How do I know if the audiowave form is a sinwave?





I noticed the link to your blog. Going to do some reading there!

Thanks for your input and dedication.

Dan

[deerock]

Marisa, Thank you as well. I will try the pre programmed sessions you mention to get an idea of what is working best for me. From there I will modify it based on what I learn. I will keep you posted on this thread. Thanks again to both of you.

[CraigT]

Hi Dan,

Some time back there was a lengthy thread that discussed Schumann Resonance... http://mindplacesupport.com/forum/sh...light=schumann

I've done most of my playing with a Procyon, and the audio features of the Proteus are quite different, so I'll leave comment on the finer points of the editor to others more familiar. Basically binaurals are formed from two sine-wave signals, whereas pulse-type beats use a single tone and 'chop it up' into pulses using a second waveform. I don't think beat-type can be selected in manual mode, only via the editor.

Habituation is a funny thing. If pure entrainment is the main goal, then it becomes a real issue. If you're just interested in subjective effects, and not so worried about just what dominant frequency your brain is at, then it matters little. I've been quite happy to disappear for an hour or more with a Proteus thrumming away at 7.8Hz in manual mode (and other frequencies) - it's just a matter of what pleases you at any given time. Specific frequencies and brain responses are really only critical if you're trying to replicate specific therapeutic protocols. For relaxation/meditation/exploration anything goes.

All I can suggest is lots of experimentation. The presets are good, general designs, and as Marisa suggests, an ideal basis for your own sessions. What works is a very personal thing. Gaining a reasonable working knowledge of the brain's functions helps heaps in designing sessions.

Thanks for checking out the blog

Cheers,
Craig