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Alleviating Chronic Stress in University Students: An EEG Analysis of Binaural Beat Therapy
Author(s)
Aunchit, Sasithon
Angsuwatanakul, Thanate
Phairot, Ekkapon
Jinawan, Chulikon
Sirirattanapan, Boonrut
Thongyu, Ratree
Srimanee, Jarinya
Khamanuwong, Thapanee
Date Issued
January 1, 2025
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly elevated chronic stress levels, especially among university students. This study examined the effectiveness of binaural beat auditory stimulation in reducing chronic stress, using both the DASS-21 questionnaire and electroencephalography (EEG) as measurement tools. Six students identified with high stress were randomly assigned to one of three four-week interventions: alpha binaural beat music, beta binaural beat music, or non-binaural beat control music. EEG analysis revealed a general increase in power spectrum across all groups, indicating changes in brainwave activity. Notably, a significant increase in sample entropy—a measure of neural complexity—was observed exclusively in the alpha binaural beat group by week four. Correspondingly, this group showed the greatest reduction in self-reported DASS-21 stress scores. These findings suggest that alpha binaural beat stimulation promotes effective neural entrainment and is more successful than beta or non-binaural beat stimuli in alleviating chronic stress among university students. This study highlights the potential of binaural beat auditory stimulation as a non-invasive tool for improving mental health.
Citation
Bmeicon 2025 17th Biomedical Engineering International Conference, 2025