DELTA WAVES

photo credit : Hari Bilalic

What are Delta Waves?

Deep dreamless sleep is the stage when your brain produces the most delta waves. This
is the stage where your body heals itself: emotionally, mentally and physically. Growth hormones are also released for cellular regeneration. It is very important that we get our daily dose of delta waves. Restoration and rejuvenation are the main functions of this stage
aside from the deeper communication with our superconscious, higher selves, universal mind or whatever term you call it.

Do you remember those times when you wake up feeling groggy and unrefreshed? You may have been in delta when you woke up. A loud noise, a ring from the alarm clock or an itch can wake you up disrupting the delta wave portion of your sleep. The best time to wake up is when you are in theta or in the REM (rapid eye movement) stage. I'll discuss the stages of sleep in a later post.

Deep sleep is a combination of mostly delta waves (more that 50%) and theta waves. Other brainwaves also run in the background but in smaller amplitudes or strength. This state has the lowest frequency among the brainwaves, greater than 0hz to 4hz, but higher in amplitude or strength.

Below is a reproduction of a 1 second delta brainwave taken from an EEG (electroencephalograph).

photo credit : Hgamboa

Adults generate delta waves almost only in their sleep. Infants up to 1 year old spend most of their time producing delta waves even when awake. The delta waves in their wake state gradually lessens as the theta waves comes to the limelight followed by alpha and finally to the beta state when they become adults.

You may have noticed that children less than 7 years old has little attention spans. Focus and attention are characteristics of the beta wave and since the dominant brainwaves of a child are delta and theta, it's just natural for a child to behave this way. Have patience with children!

Our conscious mind has no control or influence during the delta stage. The unconscious dominates our minds while the conscious sleeps. However Buddhist monks, Zen masters or other meditation experts are said to achieve semi consciousness while in the delta stage. Maybe that's where they experience enlightenment. Perhaps with the aid of isochronic tones, ordinary people can also achieve this state.