Beta waves (13-30 Hz)
When is beta seen?
Beta activity increases during wakefulness, while concentrating on a task and when preparing movements. High beta sometimes also accompanies tension.
Listening to a beat at this band's rate has not been shown to move the brain into that band; a weak EEG response may appear at the beat rate, but it is not known to change mental states reliably.
What does the evidence say?
The brain may show a weak response at the beat frequency; this response has not been shown to reliably change mental state.
▲ C · Preliminary/mixed evidence- What do we know?
- The brainstem responds at the two tone frequencies, while a measurable EEG response at the beat frequency can occur in the cortex; for binaural beats it is weaker than for monaural beats and weakens further under white-noise masking.
- What don't we know?
- In a review of 14 EEG studies, only 5 were consistent with the entrainment hypothesis and 8 contradicted it. It has not been shown that this response reliably changes mental state; in one study mood did not change at all.
Evidence is weak and conflicting; in some studies binaural beats lowered test performance.
▲ C · Preliminary/mixed evidence- 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.
Evidence levels and sources come from the database; the article adds no new claims. Evidence methodology
Frequently asked questions
- Should I choose beta for focus?
- No specific beat rate has been shown reliably to improve focus. Masking surrounding sounds with noise and taking regular breaks rest on firmer ground.
Listen and try
Pre-Task Warm-Up · Alpha 10 Hz
Last updated: 1 October 2026 · This article is for information only; it is not medical advice.