When we listen to binaural beats, it’s not only the brain’s electrical activity that changes. Our body rhythms - heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration - shift as well. Recent studies suggest that these sounds act as physiological stimuli that help restore balance in the autonomic nervous system (ANS), rather than serving merely as calming background music.
💓 The Relaxation Response from Theta Beats
McConnell et al. 1 exposed participants to theta-range binaural beats (~7 Hz) immediately after exercise to observe how their bodies recovered. Compared to a placebo tone, the binaural-beat condition produced greater parasympathetic activation (↑ High-Frequency HRV), reduced sympathetic activity (↓ Low-Frequency HRV), and higher self-reported relaxation.
In other words, binaural beats can trigger a direct relaxation response, easing physical tension as heart rhythms slow and the body naturally shifts toward a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state.
🧘♀️ Stabilizing Effects Across Frequencies
In another study, Yang et al. 2 recruited 65 college students who listened to theta (6 Hz), alpha (10 Hz), and beta (25 Hz) binaural beats for 20 minutes each. Across all conditions, heart rate and blood pressure tended to decrease, and in the beta range, parasympathetic activity (↑ nHF) increased while sympathetic activity (↓ nLF) decreased most markedly. Although differences among frequencies were not statistically large, all three conditions promoted reduced anxiety and autonomic stabilization.
In short, regardless of frequency, binaural beats appear to guide the body toward a state of rest.
🌙 Available Now on Nightly
Currently available on iOS only
Nightly integrates these scientific insights to deliver personalized binaural beats tuned to each user’s nightly condition. By learning your sleep rhythm and autonomic state, the app identifies the most effective frequency combinations for deeper relaxation.
When headphones are connected, Nightly automatically switches to Headphone Mode. As you listen to gentle waves of sound, your brain and body gradually settle into equilibrium. Tonight, let Nightly’s binaural beats harmonize your inner rhythm.