Chelle Honiker
Facing the blank page, with the cursor blinking like a beacon of wasted time, writers often find themselves in a silent standoff with their own creativity. The challenge goes beyond simply putting words on a page; it’s about summoning the muse, maintaining focus, and breaking through the barriers of writer’s block. This is where Brain.FM steps in with its own novel solution.
Brain.FM is a science-based music app that offers users different channels of background noise meant to make it easier to focus, relax, sleep, or meditate. Subscribed users select what they’re hoping to achieve, then set timers in thirty-minute increments to listen for up to two hours or choose the infinity setting for uninterrupted listening. The premise of Brain.FM is not just to provide a background soundtrack for your writing sessions but also to enhance your cognitive functions, allowing for deeper focus, creativity, and productivity.
At the heart of Brain.FM’s effectiveness is a technique known as active brain-state modulation. This method leverages a blend of musical compositions and soundscapes designed to influence the listener’s brainwave patterns. Studies have shown that different brainwave patterns are associated with various states of consciousness. Alpha waves predominate during periods of relaxation, promoting a reflective and calm state of mind. But when a task demands attention and cognitive engagement, the brain generates beta waves, which are linked to alertness and focus.
Initially, the concept sounds similar to binaural beats, tones played at specific frequencies that are said to help your brain relax—but Brain.FM relies on a variety of different sound designs and techniques other than binaural beats, according to its website, and even offers a host of neuroscientific studies to support its claims. Scientific evidence for the benefits of binaural beats, by comparison, is limited.
Brain.FM is available on the iOS App or Google Play stores for mobile devices or via the website and costs $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year. As a productivity tool, it may seem to blend in with other apps available to authors that provide background music, block out distractions, and provide focus timers. But the added science behind this one may just make it worthy of your attention—as long as it’s not when you’re supposed to be writing.
Chelle Honiker