(this article originally appeared in Saxophone Today, September/October 2014.)
When I was a child, I suffered terrible headaches. The episodes continued to disrupt my life as I got older, and I went through a variety of treatments that didn’t provide much relief. In my early teens, I began working with a neuropsychologist that used biofeedback therapy. The results were profound, and permanent. I eventually explored related techniques and technology that extended beyond simple relief from the headaches. My experiences with biofeedback and sensory stimulation have become deeply connected to my pursuit of creativity.
Biofeedback therapy is relatively self-explanatory: a measurement of some biological system is taken, and some form of feedback is provided to the user. My first experience involved the use of electrodes on my forehead, measuring the natural amount of electrical stimulation present in those muscles, with the idea that stimulated muscles are contracting, and that prolonged contraction can cause headaches. At first, the feedback came as a number on a screen, but when the doctor realized that I was a musician, she switched to a tone generator. As the muscles relaxed, the musical tone would lower in pitch. I was given a variety of relaxation techniques, but I ultimately began to simply try to relax and to make the note go down. This worked very well, and I always felt better. I eventually learned to imagine what note my current level of stress would make (without the assistance of the machines), and to make that imaginary frequency slide downward. This helped me more than any medicine.
Another biofeedback technique uses a surface thermometer, attached to a fingertip. When a person is stressed, the blood tends to rush inward, to protect the internal organs. Loss of blood in the extremities causes the surface temperature to go down, and this can be easily measured. This is one explanation for a stressed person getting cold hands, or the classic “cold feet.” Using a very basic exercise where I imagined that I was warming my hands in front of a fireplace, I was able to raise the temperature of my fingertip by several degrees. Again, the doctor used the thermometer to control a pitch generator, so that I would have a musical feedback interface. It blew my mind that I could actually increase the blood circulation in my hands, and thus raise the local surface temperature, using only my mind. To this day, I practice making my hands “heavy and warm,” to prevent that internal rush of blood inward. A stress headache can be caused by blood quickly leaving the hands, and more importantly, the head, causing the blood vessels to expand and then contract. This can be related to migraine headaches. Obviously, I am not a doctor and I am not giving medical advice here, but this information seemed to hold up in my treatment, and the biofeedback provided measurable, repeatable results.
As I started to gain control of the headaches, and success with progressive relaxation and meditation to prevent stress-related episodes, I started to wonder what else might be possible. In 1994, I was introduced to a so-called mind machine, also known as a light and sound machine. I was in the recording studio, and a headache was getting me down. The engineer handed me a black box with some headphones and glasses that flashed LED lights. I put the contraption on, closed my eyes, and I felt a wave of relaxation come over me. Not only did my headache clear, but I felt a kind of mental clarity that was something like a pleasant rush of caffeine, but without the side effects. I ended up purchasing my own machine, and I have been using it ever since.
*Before continuing, it is important to mention that light stimulation should never be used by anyone with a seizure disorder. Flashing lights can cause seizures! Talk to you doctor before using a light and sound machine.
These types of devices use the concept of “frequency following” in the brain, where the dominant EEG frequency can theoretically be influenced by an external stimulus. Heightened mental states are frequently associated with musical ceremonies, such as the rhythmic beating of drums, or the pulsing drones of a church organ, for example. The low frequency flickering of a fire can also have an apparent effect on state of mind. A mind machine accomplishes similar stimulation using pulsing tones in headphones, and special glasses that pulse LED lights (while the eyes are closed, so that the light is soft and diffused through the eyelids).
I have never used my mind machine while connected to an EEG, so I cannot say with certainty that this frequency following effect is real. I can only say that I have had regular and repeatable experiences over the course of decades, and that if my mind machine ever died, I would immediately replace it. Immediately. I should also add that my particular device (NOVA, by the photosonix company) has been going strong for twenty years. I have no affiliation with the company, but I can honestly say that I have never owned a more rugged electronic device, a heavy duty metal case, all made in the USA. Highly recommended.
I have used different programs for relaxation, to help induce sleep, and to increase mental clarity. Another interesting application for me has been hemispheric stimulation. By synchronizing light and sound stimulation to alternate between left and right eyes/ears, there is a supposed effect upon the creative and analytical parts of the brain. Again, I cannot produce any scientific evidence of such effects, but I have had very good success with these kinds of programs as preparation for creative work. I experience a kind of sensation where the muscles of my face and around my eyes feel very relaxed, and there is a sort of buzzing behind my forehead. A good game of chess gives me the exact same physical sensation, and I equate this with the creative and analytical components of the game. Either way, that particular state of mind is frequently good preparation for practicing, composing, or writing. I feel relaxed and open to a flow of ideas.
Another interesting approach is something called binaural beats. This technique uses stereo headphones to introduce different pitches in each ear. Within certain parameters, mainly that the two pitches must be below 1,000 hz and within 30 hz of each other, the brain creates a low frequency pulsing that results from the difference between the two tones. Musicians experience this beating all the time, when two notes are slightly out of tune, resulting in a beating that is proportional to the difference between the two notes. We also hear strange artifacts in difference and combination tones, often strong enough that you would swear that the notes are real. Amazingly, they are not; they only exist in the mind of the listener. Another example of this binaural effect occurs when we listen in stereo and sound seems to emanate from a phantom speaker. (This effect is more pronounced with high quality stereo systems or headphones.)
Binaural beats were first observed in the nineteenth century, but they have risen to relative popularity in recent years. Practitioners believe that the beating of the perceived difference tone has a frequency following effect on the brain. It is easy enough to create a home-brewed audio track to use with headphones. As I write this article, I am using a binaural beats app on my iPod touch, with the volume set very low in the ear buds. I can most definitely feel a sense of relaxation and clarity.
There are a number of possible uses for these techniques. I sometimes use the light and sound machine to prepare for a work session, or to relax and reflect at conclusion. As I mentioned, I sometimes use the sound alone during a work session (obviously not for practicing!), to tune out distractions or to increase mental focus. I have also used both to assist in meditation. I actually view meditation as an integral part of using these different technologies.
This kind of thing is certainly not for everyone, but if you are open to trying something different, it might be worth investigating. Use of light and sound stimulation is a big part of my life, and I have no doubt that it helps me in a variety of ways. The NOVA is a relatively expensive device, but you can download basic binaural beat programs for free. If any subscribers have similar experiences with light and sound machines, I would love to hear from you. Peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment