Obviously, our brains don't have radio dials.

But there is something fascinating about this analogy.

Your brain is constantly producing patterns of electrical activity. We call these brainwaves, and different patterns tend to become more prominent depending on whether you're actively thinking, quietly relaxed, drifting toward sleep, or sleeping deeply.

And researchers have discovered something else: the brain can respond to rhythm and sound.

That opens up an interesting question for anyone interested in nervous system regulation: Can we use sound intentionally to help support a change in state?

The answer is more nuanced than some of the claims you'll see online. But the science is genuinely fascinating.

First — what are brainwaves?

Brainwaves are patterns of electrical activity created by groups of neurons communicating in the brain. They are commonly grouped into frequency bands. The important thing to understand is that these aren't four separate "modes" that we simply switch on and off. Multiple frequencies are occurring in the brain at the same time. What changes is which patterns become more prominent.

And that's where sound becomes interesting.

Your brain is always listening

Sound isn't simply background. It's sensory input.

A fire alarm affects your nervous system differently than ocean waves. A chaotic cafeteria sounds different to the brain than a quiet room. Fast, unpredictable music can feel very different from a slow, familiar melody.

And you may notice those changes in your body before you've consciously thought: "This sound is stressful."

That's because auditory information interacts with brain systems involved in attention, emotion, arousal, and autonomic regulation.

What is brainwave entrainment?

One fascinating area of research is brainwave entrainment. When the nervous system is exposed to repetitive rhythmic stimulation, brain activity can sometimes demonstrate what's called a frequency-following response — electrical activity associated with the rhythm being presented.

That doesn't mean we can simply play a frequency and force someone's brain into a particular emotional state. Human nervous systems are far more complicated than that. But it does mean external rhythmic input can interact with neural activity.

One popular example is binaural beats.

How do binaural beats work?

Binaural beats require headphones because each ear needs to receive a slightly different tone.

Researchers have investigated whether binaural beats targeting different frequency ranges may influence things such as relaxation, attention, anxiety, sleep, and cognitive performance. The results aren't identical across studies or across individuals.

We've been using sound to change state for thousands of years

Long before anyone knew what a brainwave was, humans were using sound to change the way they felt.

Parents instinctively rock and hum to babies. We use lullabies at bedtime. Athletes use energizing music before competition. Spas use slow music to create an entirely different sensory environment. And most of us have experienced a song changing our emotional state almost instantly.

Modern neuroscience isn't proving every traditional claim made about sound or specific frequencies. But it is helping us understand how deeply the auditory system interacts with the brain and body.

What about 432 Hz and 528 Hz?

This is where I want us to be careful.

You'll see extraordinary claims online about specific frequencies such as 432 Hz and 528 Hz. Some claims go far beyond what current research can support.

An easy way to experiment with your sound environment

You don't necessarily need specialized therapeutic equipment to start paying attention to sound. One resource you may want to explore is Wholetones — instrumental music built around specific musical frequencies.

I like this as an easy way to experiment with changing the auditory environment, rather than thinking of it as a treatment for a particular condition. It's also available on CD, which can be helpful for families who don't want to use another screen or streaming device.

When sound becomes a therapeutic intervention

There is an important distinction between playing calming music at home and participating in a structured therapeutic listening program. As an occupational therapist, I've used and trained in programs that intentionally manipulate auditory input as part of intervention.

So... can you tune your brain like a radio?

Not quite.

But I think the real answer is actually more interesting.

Your nervous system is constantly responding to its environment. Sound is part of that environment. Rhythm is part of that environment. Music is part of that environment. Silence is part of that environment.

Want to learn more?

I've created two guides to help you explore this further — one for parents and one for therapists.