5 Hz is a theta frequency linked to deep relaxation. It is also the frequency in one of the most rigorous binaural-beat trials, a double-blind crossover study on pain perception.
What the research on 5 Hz binaural beats shows
People with chronic pain listened to 5 Hz beats or a sham sound for 30 minutes, then used it as needed for a week. Pain ratings fell from 5.6 to 3.4 out of 10 with real beats and from 5.2 to 4.8 with sham. After a week they were 3.9 versus 5.5, and analgesic use was lower. Theta brain activity rose only during the real beats 1.
A 2024 systematic review rated the overall evidence on binaural beats and pain as low quality and asked for more chronic-pain research 2.
One caution: 5 Hz and studying
A memory study found that 5 Hz beats lowered word recall compared with white noise 3. Save 5 Hz for relaxing and use beta frequencies when you need to learn.
How to use 5 Hz
Lie down for 30 minutes with headphones, matching the trial. Use it for relaxation alongside, never instead of, the care your clinician recommends.
How to listen
- Use headphones for binaural beats. Each ear needs its own tone. Isochronic tones work on speakers.
- Start before the task. A meta-analysis found that listening before (or before and during) a task worked better than listening only during it, and that longer sessions helped.
- Keep the volume low. The beat works at a comfortable, quiet level. Louder is not better.
- One goal at a time. Studies tested one beat frequency at a time. You can layer sounds in Neuro Gardens, but there is no evidence that stacked frequencies add up.
About the evidence
Binaural-beat research is promising but uneven. Studies are often small and use different settings, and a 2023 systematic review found that only 5 of 14 EEG studies showed the brain following the beat frequency (Ingendoh 2023). We rate each frequency honestly, link every study to PubMed, and update these pages as new research is published.
Frequently asked questions
Do binaural beats help chronic pain?
A double-blind trial found lower pain ratings and less analgesic use with 5 Hz beats than with sham sound. A systematic review calls the overall evidence low quality, so more research is needed.
Should I listen to 5 Hz while studying?
Probably not. One study found 5 Hz beats lowered word recall. Beta frequencies like 15–20 Hz are better studied for learning.
Studies cited
All studies link to PubMed, run by the National Library of Medicine at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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Gkolias V, Amaniti A, Triantafyllou A, et al. · European Journal of Pain · PMID 32564499
In people with chronic pain, 30 minutes of 5 Hz beats cut pain ratings from 5.6 to 3.4 out of 10 (sham: 5.2 to 4.8). After a week of use as needed, ratings were 3.9 vs 5.5 with sham, and analgesic use was lower. Theta EEG power rose only during real beats.
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Shamsi F, Azadinia F, Shaygan M · BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies · PMID 38216943
Across 16 trials (13 acute, 3 chronic pain), alpha beats or delta-to-alpha combinations looked promising for acute pain. Evidence quality was low to very low, and chronic pain needs more research.
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Binaural auditory beats affect long-term memory
Garcia-Argibay M, Santed MA, Reales JM · Psychological Research · PMID 29222722
After listening to 20 Hz beta beats, people recalled more words and recognized them better than after white noise. 5 Hz theta beats lowered recall.
Try 5 Hz in Neuro Gardens
Pick Ease on the outcome wheel, choose music from ambient, jazz, lo-fi, classical or nature, and press play. Audio keeps going with your screen locked.
Get notified at launchNeuro Gardens is a general wellness app, not a medical device, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Studies cited here are research on binaural beats in general, not tests of Neuro Gardens. Never listen to low frequencies while driving.