Health security

Power of Hypnosis: Pain Killer and Brain Booster

Hypnosis is a much maligned and misunderstood aspect of mind “tinkering.” Many people think of hypnosis as a person clucking around like a chicken on stage after having a pocket watch dangled in front of his eyes. There’s more to this field of study.

In 2000, Brain Research Bulletin published a paper about the brain activity (electroencephalogram, or EEG) patterns of hypnotized volunteers. EEG activity showed a significant increase in the Gamma band.

In previous articles, we discussed how the Gamma wave brain activity (vibrating at a frequency of about 40 hertz) corresponds to moments of profound inspiration. Other brain activity, such as Theta wave, corresponds to other mental states (relaxation, active problem-solving, et cetera). Gamma waves have a relatively high frequency, and they can reach far higher than 40 hertz (Hz), though the effect of very high Gamma waves is not yet well understood.