EEG - pagina principale     Onde cerebrali     Finalitą e pubblicazioni     Onde alfa durante TNAS     GSR durante TNAS     Ricerche su TNAS e MT     In English:     Alpha waves during NSR     GSR during NSR    Istituto Scientia    Tecnica Naturale Anti-Stress    Natural Stress Relief    Transcendental Meditation    Il segreto dell'universo    Ipotesi sulla realtą Alpha waves during Natural Stress Relief meditation. The Natural Stress Relief technique is a systematic method of superb effectiveness in creating alpha brain waves, with a consequent state of deep relaxation. Just below are examples of EEG (Electroencephalogram) data recorded from subjects who had been practicing for just a few weeks. There are four sample waveforms: 1) Rest with open eyes (the EEG is much similar to that of waking state in which the subject is engaged in a mental activity). 2) Rest with closed eyes (with moderate alpha activity, which may not be obvious but is easy revealed through a mathematical process called spectral analysis). 3) Practice of Natural Stress Relief (with strong alpha activity in evidence, difficult to obtain in any other voluntary way). 4) Rest with open eyes immediately after practice of Natural Stress Relief (with some lingering alpha activity). In the previous waveforms it is easy to see the alpha (10-12 Hz) activity during the practice of NSR. The following image (spectral analysis) looks at the relative intensity of several frequencies during sitting with open eyes (on the left) and during the practice of NSR (on the right). During NSR, one can see that the frequencies around 11-12 Hz are dominant, while other frequencies are almost absent. In contrast, during open eyes there are no dominant frequencies, the power being spread throughout the entire range of 1-30 Hz. Note: in these examples there are two measurement channels (cerebral hemisphere left and right; for those familiar with the standard 10-20 system for EEG electrode placement, the channels are respectively C3 and C4). In order to show how much the alpha frequencies are dominant relative to the others (beta, theta, delta), the following diagram is useful. It shows the percentage of the power of the alpha waves with respect to the total power of the measured signal (including all the frequencies between 1 and 40 Hz, that is delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma). Normally, alpha waves represent 15 or 20% of the total of the brain waves. When closing the eyes, this percentage increases to 25-35%. With relaxation techniques it can sometimes reach 50%. Percentages of 50% are considered exceptional. In the diagram that follows, the first part represents a typical subject who rests with closed eyes for approximately two minutes. One can see that the power of the alpha waves reaches a maximum of 40% with respect to the total. In the second part the subject practices the NSR technique for about 5 minutes and exceeds the 50% mark after only 25 seconds. In just a few more minutes it reaches 75%! All this happens voluntarily and systematically during the practice of NSR and leads to a remarkable relaxation and deep reduction of anxiety. From the subjective point of view, the mind rests in a state of "restful alertness" or deep silence, a state of "pure consciousness" without specific thoughts. In the Yoga tradition this is called a "fourth state of consciousness" (the first three are the well-known waking, dream, and deep sleep states), or the "state of transcendence". In this state the mind and the nervous system rest and repair the damage caused by tensions and stress that has accumulated during daily life. During NSR practice the mind is regenerated and becomes more creative, increasing intelligence and level of satisfaction. In more expert practitioners it is observed that the dominant alpha frequency is not around 11 or 12 Hz but is closer to 9 Hz. Those who practice this technique for many years show a more complex picture, with the alpha frequency at about 9 Hz, a theta at about 7 Hz, and a beta at about 18 Hz, such that the EEG picture appears more chaotic (at first sight) than that illustrated above. But this picture actually turns out to show great order from a mathematical point of view. To see further graphs of alpha waves in the first subject during the practice of NSR, you can visit the following page: Other examples of alpha waves during NSR practice Reduction of the anxiety during NSR practice. EEG - Main page. Experiments conducted in September-October 2005. Translation by David Spector of NaturalStressReliefUSA.org. © 2006-2009  Istituto Scientia