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Listening to binaural beats may support focus, attention and memory.

▲ C · Preliminary/mixed evidence

Claim reviewed: Listening to binaural beats may support focus, attention and memory.

What do we know?

Two meta-analyses found a moderate overall effect: one on memory and attention only (g = 0.40), the other also pooling anxiety and pain (g = 0.45); they partly share studies. In a small parametric study, 40 Hz beats with a low (340 Hz) carrier and a white-noise background improved general attention but did not prevent attention from declining over time.

What don't we know?

Results conflict. In two home experiments with 1,000 people in total, 5 Hz and 15 Hz beats lowered reasoning-test scores, while silence and other sounds had no effect. In a 58-person study, 40 Hz beats did not affect attention. Positive findings need replication. In a three-experiment study, 16 Hz binaural beats did not improve sustained attention; the combined data gave evidence against this hypothesis.

Wording we use in the app: Evidence is weak and conflicting; in some studies binaural beats lowered test performance.

Sources (6)

  1. Garcia-Argibay ve ark. 2019 · Meta-analysis · 22 studies

    A meta-analysis of 22 studies on memory, attention, anxiety and pain found a medium, significant overall effect. Listening before the task (or before and during it) worked better than listening only during it, and longer exposure increased the effect. Masking with white or pink noise did not appear necessary.

    Overall g = 0.45 (35 effect sizes from 22 studies)

    First published online in 2018. The abstract gives no confidence interval. Its reference list includes a study retracted in 2021 (Colzato et al. 2017, PMID 28409319); the abstract does not show whether it was included in the analysis.

    Garcia-Argibay M, Santed MA, Reales JM. Efficacy of binaural auditory beats in cognition, anxiety, and pain perception: a meta-analysis. Psychol Res. 2019;83(2):357-372. doi:10.1007/s00426-018-1066-8 PMID 30073406 Go to source

  2. Basu ve Banerjee 2023 · Meta-analysis · 15 studies

    A meta-analysis of 15 studies found a medium, significant overall effect of binaural beats on memory and attention. The systematic review found conflicting results, especially for theta and beta beats on memory and attention tasks; the authors call for more robust designs.

    Overall g = 0.40 (31 effect sizes from 15 studies)

    First published online in 2022.

    Basu S, Banerjee B. Potential of binaural beats intervention for improving memory and attention: insights from meta-analysis and systematic review. Psychol Res. 2023;87(4):951-963. doi:10.1007/s00426-022-01706-7 PMID 35842538 Go to source

  3. Melnichuk ve ark. 2025 · Experiment · 80 participants

    Sixteen parameter conditions were tested; 80 undergraduates were randomized and 64 analysed. 40 Hz binaural beats with a low (340 Hz) carrier improved general attention performance but did not prevent the decline of attention over time. EEG showed a response at the beat frequency that varied with parameters and weakened under white-noise masking. The authors say the finding needs replication.

    Higher hit rate than a pure tone for 40 Hz beats with a 340 Hz carrier (p = 0.002); no effect on the vigilance decrement

    Melnichuk A, Cooper RK, Hawk LW. A parametric investigation of binaural beats for brain entrainment and enhancing sustained attention. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):4308. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-88517-z PMID 39910150 Go to source

  4. Klichowski ve ark. 2023 · Experiment · 1,000 participants

    In two online home experiments, 1,000 adults took a reasoning test. Listening to binaural beats during the second half lowered scores regardless of how the sound was framed, while silence and other sounds had no effect. The authors concluded that home-use binaural beats may weaken rather than support cognitive performance.

    About 5-7% lower reasoning-test scores during 5 Hz and 15 Hz binaural beats (second experiment); silence, classical music and a pure tone had no effect

    Klichowski M, Wicher A, Kruszwicka A, Golebiewski R. Reverse effect of home-use binaural beats brain stimulation. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):11079. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-38313-4 PMID 37422545 Go to source

  5. Leistiko ve ark. 2024 · Experiment · 58 participants

    In 58 healthy adults, 40 Hz (gamma) binaural beats did not change attention-test performance (reaction time, errors, attention networks) compared with a control tone, and had no effect on a single-item self-rating of anxiety.

    No significant difference from a control tone in attention measures or self-rated anxiety

    First published online in 2023. Within-subject crossover with randomized order.

    Leistiko NM, Madanat L, Yeung WKA, Stone JM. Effects of gamma frequency binaural beats on attention and anxiety. Curr Psychol. 2024;43(6):5032-5039. doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04681-3 PMID 37359672 Go to source

  6. Robison ve ark. 2022 · Experiment

    Three experiments tested 16 Hz (beta) binaural beats on sustained attention. The first two gave inconsistent results; their combined data gave rather strong evidence against the hypothesis that beta beats improve sustained attention. Pupil measures showed no effect either.

    First published online in 2021.

    Robison MK, Obulasetty M, Blais C, Wingert KM, Brewer GA. The effect of binaural beat stimulation on sustained attention. Psychol Res. 2022;86(3):808-822. doi:10.1007/s00426-021-01524-3 PMID 33978805 Go to source

Last reviewed: 3 October 2026 · Next review: 3 April 2027

Evidence methodology