Do you believe binaural beats can influence the state of your mind in such a way that you are able to relax, focus, meditate, or boost your brain power?

I have a nagging suspicion this is a monumental joke worthy of Belbo, Diotallevi and Casaubon in Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum—that all these talks on the effect of binaural beats on the mind are as true as the existence of the Tres was to the Diabolicals.

Still, I’ve been getting by with two hours less of sleep since I started listening to it. I am able to sleep “on demand” by playing the relaxation mp3 clip in my player. I’ve been able to power-nap better by playing any of the mp3 clips while sitting on the newsroom lounge.

I’m not sure if it really works. Maybe the improvements I am experiencing right now are the result of the confluence of different life hacks: more time in the gym, better eating, less time in front of the TV etc. Or it could be the adrenalin rush unstopped by my being pumped up over projects I’m doing right now. But then again, maybe not.

But a newsroom colleague swears she was able to sleep better listening to binaural beats. Another described the experience as “mind-altering.”

Whether you believe it or not, it doesn’t hurt to try. The least you get is being able to listen to pleasant white noise, which can be relaxing.

Download binaural tracks in mp3 format

You can listen to the binaural beats in I Dose, which streams the mp3 file, in your PC or laptop. The site says you have to use headphones to be able to properly listen to the binaural beats.

I Dose, however, only streams the mp3 file and does not allow you to download it. Streaming is okay if you have a fast Internet connection and you want to listen only in your PC or laptop.

But many, I’m sure, would want to be able to download the files into their mp3 players so that they can listen to it without having to sit in front of a PC or laptop.

To download the binaural tracks from I Dose, open the .m3u file that gets downloaded when you click on the links to the different “mind states” that you want. Open the .m3u file using a text editor and you will find the link to the mp3 file in I Dose.

Copy the link and paste it into Firefox’s location bar. If Firefox plays the file instead of downloading it, go to (in Windows) Tools > Options > Applications and look for the entry on mp3 or audio files in the content type column. Change the action to Save File.

After changing the entry, you should now be able to download the binaural tracks in mp3 format.

Now, tell me: did it work for you?

TODAY’S MANTRA: I’m a Jedi Knight, the force is strong with me. (Photo by Vranarc, stock.xchng)