New titles that deserve a closer look

A BIT OF A

BRAINWAVE

Alison tries the NeoRhythm pulsed electromagnetic therapy headband to improve focus and relaxation…

SO many of the things that determine our outlook and mental wellbeing go on in our heads that I found the technology and research behind the NeoRhythm fascinating. Studies suggest that even when the COVID virus has been contained, we’ll be left facing an immense problem with mental health. Given the shortage of trained professionals and long NHS waiting lists for NLP or CBT, technology will increasingly play a role in helping us maintain our mental wellbeing.

We all have five different types of brain waves with different frequencies and rhythms. These brainwaves are produced by electrical pulses which allow neurons to communicate with each other. Thus, they underpin all our emotions, our behaviours and our thoughts. Higher frequency waves are associated with alertness and focus while lower frequencies are more common in relaxed, dreamlike or slow states.

Delta waves are generated during dreamfree sleep and deep meditation. Theta waves are common in a sleep state or meditation, but are also underpin our liminal state. This is the borderland between being awake and asleep, as we nod off or are semi-awake. Alpha waves are associated with the brain’s resting state where we feel calm yet alert, receptive to learning and focus. Beta waves are the principle wave form picked up when we are in a normal, directed, state of consciousness, paying attention to something or problem solving. Lastly, Gamma waves have been associated with higher stated of altruism, universal love and may modulate our consciousness and perceptions.

Just as we can use drugs, ritual or meditation to alter our brain function, so we can, using devices like the NeoRhythm, use pulsed electromagnetic therapy (PEMF) to train our brains into a pattern of brainwave behaviour that matches the desired state of being, whether that’s focus and concentration, deep relaxation or meditation, sleep or pain management. It could be regarded as a way to reach the desired mental state without years of practice. There are seven different programmes, each based on research studies. All you have to do is wear the lightweight padded headband for at least thirty minutes a day. Up to three sessions a day are suggested and you’ll need a fortnight before you start noticing results. Luckily the NeoRhythm doesn’t get in the way of everyday activity. Once it’s adjusted to your head, you won’t really be aware of it at all. Since it doesn’t make any noise, it’s only the tiny green light or testing with the supplied magnet that reassures you on this point.

I found that it helped me in some unexpected ways. I don’t have stress or anxiety and if sleeping became an Olympic sport, I’d be part of Team GB. I did find it useful when attempting meditation and creative tasks that required focus, particularly when I had to spend most of one weekend attempting to write forty lines of poetry for an Open University course. I think it improved my concentration, though it certainly won’t turn you into Byron or Keats. As you might expect, there are some contraindications for use. If you have a pacemaker or some form of electronic or mechanical implant, including breast implants, then this is not for you. Similarly, those with epilepsy, Graves’ disease, organ transplants, and those who are actively bleeding or under 18 should avoid the device. If you’re stressed out, have difficulty sleeping or concentrating or want to reach a deeper meditative state, then I think it’s a much better solution than drugs. n

iYou can find out more about the NeoRhythm at www. newmedltd.co.uk. They often have special offers and purchase plans available.