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How to Promote Recovery with Gamma Brainwaves shares how stimulating gamma brainwaves transforms the mind and body, causing relief from pain and other symptoms and improvement for a variety of diseases (including Alzheimer’s and age-related memory issues).
In this post, I share a favorite free resource, an amazing lamp (read the reviews!) and numerous scientific studies that support the use of gamma waves for their therapeutic potential.
An intro to gamma brainwaves
I’ve written in the past about the difference between beta waves and alpha waves, and how mental health healing can happen when alpha waves are more frequent.
Now we’ll look at the benefits of gamma waves.
Gamma waves happen naturally with: mountain top type experiences! — moments of wonder, awe and extreme joy, gratitude or love.
I allude to gamma waves in this article, when I discuss retraining the brain with a platform called DNRS.
Blending alpha and gamma states is also beneficial.
Whether natural or not, phenomena involving light, rhythm or a sense of awe — can stimulate gamma brainwaves, typically ranging from 30 to 100 Hz and often peaking near 40Hz.
Here’s a look at the different wavelengths of our brain:
- Gamma — 30 to 100 Hertz (Hz)
- Beta — 12 to 30Hz (These are dominant during activities like studying, problem-solving and working. A dysregulated nervous system that frequently goes into overdrive tends to show elevated levels of fast beta waves.)
- Alpha — 8 to 12Hz
- Theta and Delta waves also exist; they occur during times of dreaming or deep sleep. (3 to 8Hz and .1-3Hz)
Which conditions present with low gamma states
Degenerative, autoimmune and mental health illnesses all present with low gamma states — including Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, MS, ADHD, Autism, PTSD, Long COVID, Chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Schizophrenia.
The cytokine response triggered by a 40Hz flicker differs from conventional inflammatory patterns, and shows a beneficial form of immune modulation.
40Hz sound and light therapy has a history of also helping with tinnitus, headaches and insomnia. (I have personally experienced relief from sickness-related headaches from using 40Hz sound therapy.)
Retraining the brain with natural phenomena
Even with extreme health diagnoses, the brain can be retrained with frequencies, to bring relief, improvement and sometimes complete reversal of symptoms.
Gamma waves can be stimulated by interacting with natural phenomena.
That trance many of us feel around a campfire or staring into the fireplace, it occurs because firelight flickers at approximately 40Hz, which is the peak of gamma stimulation.
A water fountain or babbling brook have similar benefits, offering both sound and light.
40Hz stimulation enhances the synchronization of neural activity, improving communication between different brain regions.
40Hz gamma stimulation for Alzheimer’s
A lot of studies have been done on the effects of 40Hz gamma stimulation for Alzheimer’s.
This paper and many additional studies show that 40Hz stimulation using light, sound, vibration or their combination can reduce Alzheimer’s-related proteins, protect neurons and support memory and cognition in mouse models.
Stroke patients and Parkinson’s
Stroke patients have been studied, with the conclusion that 40Hz therapy promotes brain function recovery.
Initial studies on Parkinson’s are also very promising, with physical improvements in all aspects of PD.
Gamma brainwave frequency tools
Free YouTube video
Listen to this while you work, do the dishes, drive, when you feel stress, when you’re sick, while you sleep, whenever and as often as you like — to encourage peace, low stress and actual healing!
- 40Hz Gamma Brain frequencies with relaxing ambient nature sounds on YouTube — 2 hours, uninterrupted. This video includes the option to watch the small waterfall.
Many other free 40Hz videos exist as well, but at this time, all of the others are geared toward promoting concentration, not healing, so I find the one above to be the most helpful.
App options
You can also download various apps in the Apple App Store or elsewhere to listen to gamma frequencies.
When listening to 40Hz sounds, suggested times include forty minutes at least three times a week. I like to listen for one to two hours at a time while I’m working, reading or resting. From my personal training with DNRS, I know that one hour minimum daily is ideal for brain retraining.
A most exciting light for memory recovery
For pure light therapy, I’m so excited to share the 40Hz Light Therapy Lamp by Gamma (find it here).
This light is placed peripherally while you go about your day. It can be near you while you read, or in a room that you go in and out of all day. But for the best results, sitting near it while you read for an hour or so is highly effective.
The lamp provides visual gamma entrainment, it’s affordable (for what it provides!), and it’s been studied by MIT.
In these studies, MIT has shown that this lamp clears proteins associated with Alzheimer’s from the brain (like waste), provides protection against neuron death and shows decreased synapse loss and sustained memory and cognition.
You can also read the reviews for the product when you go to take a look at it, for real life testimonies. (I bought the lamp with the 4 Year Protection Warranty. Even though this increases the initial purchase price, it guarantees you a working product. If it fails in anyway in those four years, they’ll replace it for free with a brand new lamp. I have done this for years with our waffle iron, and it’s worth the initial investment.)
Studies all around the world have now confirmed the findings of MIT.
Why did I buy the lamp for myself
Not only do I have ongoing healing that’s happening, I can use the lamp for any of my family members when and if we get sick.
Additionally, gamma brainwaves are linked to improved brain health, memory, focus and various cognitive functions that are beneficial for learning new languages. Our family is learning a new language, and I need all the help I can get, as I age!
(Side note: Children with learning disorders also greatly benefit from gamma stimulation based on impressive studies.)
It’s fascinating that both the beneficial alpha and gamma waves are each associated with calmness and alertness!
As you can see in the images of various brainwaves below, gamma waves are the fastest brainwave frequency — even though they occur during times like meditation, breathing exercises and feelings of deep thankfulness. Pretty cool paradigm!
How to live to encourage gamma brainwaves
In addition to listening to sounds and exposing ourselves to light sources that encourage gamma brainwaves, we can seek them out with intentional practices:
- Practice gratitude — While this popular practice may be something you’ve heard of or tried before, I find it helpful to understand why gratitude is healing (it promotes gamma brainwaves). Practicing gratitude can be accomplished through an intentional mindset, a morning walk in nature with thoughts of gratitude or journaling. (I know one woman, who I greatly admire, who put her health issues behind her with an intensely positive attitude, promoting authentic joy in almost every setting. I saw her transformation, and am amazed.)
- This takes a lot of intentionality, discipline and practice, which is why DNRS is more helpful for some, as it provides specific tools.
- It’s easy for stress to creep in — another reason that listening to 40 Hz music or purchasing the Gamma lamp is so helpful.
- Laughter yoga — I share here how to do this. Notice the Indian video that also includes dancing.
- Intuitive dance that allows your body to respond to the music, being mindful, too, of your emotions, as you experience the flow of the music and energy.
- Proper supplementation of magnesium and zinc — As always, I recommend my doctor for mineral testing. Magnesium and zinc can help with stress reduction, and indirectly encourage gamma brainwaves through their influence on overall brain function and the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. (I share more about zinc supplementation in this article.)
- This magnesium works well for most people, or use topical.
- Most people can start with 15 mg zinc or 30 mg zinc.
Caution with gamma brainwaves
If you have any serious athletes in your house, like I do, gamma brainwaves are great in moderation. But just because something is good … doesn’t mean that a lot is better:
While gamma brainwaves are generally associated with heightened attention and focus, excessive levels of gamma waves can potentially impede athletic performance. Research suggests that high gamma activity may correlate with decreased sports performance and attention, potentially due to factors like hesitation.
As with everything, balance is key.
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