--- title: "Types of Brain Waves: Delta to Gamma, With a Chart" description: "There are five main types of brain waves: delta (0.5 to 4 Hz), theta (4 to 8), alpha (8 to 12), beta (12 to 30) and gamma (above 30 Hz)." url: https://shimmr.app/learn/brain-wave-types/ --- - [Learn](https://shimmr.app/learn/) - [Science](https://shimmr.app/learn/science/) # Types of brain waves: delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma explained There are five main types of brain waves: delta (0.5 to 4 Hz), theta (4 to 8), alpha (8 to 12), beta (12 to 30) and gamma (above 30 Hz). The Shimmr team Published Oct 31, 2026 4 min read - **Five types:** the main brain waves are delta (0.5 to 4 Hz), theta (4 to 8 Hz), alpha (8 to 12 Hz), beta (12 to 30 Hz) and gamma (above 30 Hz). - **What they mean:** slower waves go with sleep and deep rest, faster waves with alert, active thinking. - **All at once:** your brain makes several bands at the same time; a state is named after the one that is strongest. - **Old and shared:** a 2004 review in Science notes that brain rhythms span five orders of magnitude in frequency and are preserved across mammals, which suggests they do real work. - **Sound:** a 2023 systematic review found 5 of 14 binaural beat studies showed the brain following the beat, 8 did not and 1 was mixed. Hear it There are five main types of brain waves: delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma. Each one is a rhythm of electrical activity, measured in hertz (Hz, cycles per second), and each goes with a different state, from deep sleep to intense focus. Here is a simple chart of all five, what each one means, which happen in sleep and meditation, and whether sound can really change them. ## What are the 5 types of brain waves? The five types of brain waves, from slowest to fastest, are delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma. Slow waves go with sleep and deep rest. Fast waves go with alert, busy thinking. | Band | Frequency | Usually linked with | | --- | --- | --- | | Delta | 0.5 to 4 Hz | Deep sleep | | Theta | 4 to 8 Hz | Drowsiness, deep rest, some meditation | | Alpha | 8 to 12 Hz | Relaxed, awake rest, eyes closed | | Beta | 12 to 30 Hz | Alert, active thinking | | Gamma | Above 30 Hz | Intense focus, often studied at 40 Hz | Sources draw these lines a little differently. Some put the border between alpha and beta at 13 Hz rather than 12, and the top of gamma is set anywhere from about 80 to 100 Hz or higher. The bands also blur into each other. Your brain makes several at once, and a state is named after the band that is strongest at the time. ## What does each type of brain wave do? Each band goes with a typical state of mind, though none of them is a switch. In short: - **Delta:** the slowest band and the sign of deep sleep. [Delta waves](https://shimmr.app/learn/delta-waves/) come mostly in the first half of the night. - **Theta:** the band of drowsiness, daydreams and deep rest. [Theta waves](https://shimmr.app/learn/theta-waves/) grow as you drift towards sleep. - **Alpha:** relaxed but awake. [Alpha waves](https://shimmr.app/learn/alpha-waves/) were the first brain rhythm recorded in people, by Hans Berger in 1929, and they grow within seconds when you close your eyes. - **Beta:** the rhythm of a working day. [Beta waves](https://shimmr.app/learn/beta-waves/) are strong when you talk, plan and solve problems. - **Gamma:** the fastest band, linked with intense focus. Research has looked closely at [40 Hz gamma waves](https://shimmr.app/learn/40-hz-gamma-waves/), so far mostly in animals. ## How do brain waves work? Brain waves are the rhythm of large groups of nerve cells firing together. When many cells pulse in step, the electrical signal is strong enough to be picked up by sensors on the scalp, a test called an EEG (electroencephalogram). These rhythms are not just noise. A [2004 review in Science](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1099745) notes that brain rhythms span five orders of magnitude in frequency and are preserved across mammals, which suggests they have a job. The review links them to choosing which signals get through, tying groups of cells together, and helping the brain store information over time. ## What brain waves happen during sleep? During sleep, your brain moves from alpha through theta down to delta, and back up, in cycles of about 90 minutes. A night usually looks like this: 1. **Drifting off:** alpha fades and theta takes over. 2. **Light sleep:** mostly theta, with short bursts called sleep spindles. 3. **Deep sleep:** slow, large delta waves. This stage is longest early in the night. 4. **REM sleep:** the dreaming stage, with a fast, mixed pattern that looks close to being awake. That is why sleep sounds usually start in alpha or theta and move down. They follow the path your brain takes anyway. ## What brain waves happen during meditation? Meditation is most often linked with alpha and theta waves, the bands of relaxed and deep rest. Gentle, open styles of meditation tend to go with more alpha. Deeper, drowsier practice leans towards theta. The mix depends on the person and the style, so there is no single “meditation wave”. ## Can you change your brain waves with sound? Sound may nudge your brain waves, but the evidence is mixed. The idea is called entrainment: a steady rhythm in the ears might pull the brain’s own rhythm towards it. A binaural beat plays a slightly different tone in each ear, for example 200 Hz on the left and 210 Hz on the right, and your brain hears a 10 Hz pulse in the alpha band. Binaural beats need headphones. A [2023 systematic review](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286023) looked at 14 studies that measured the brain directly. Five found the brain followed the beat, 8 found it did not, and 1 was mixed. The studies used very different methods, which makes them hard to compare. On outcomes such as memory and mood rather than brain readings, a [2018 meta-analysis](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-1066-8) of 22 studies found a medium overall effect (g = 0.45) of binaural beats on memory, attention, anxiety and pain. So a beat in a given band is best seen as a gentle cue, not a dial. If you have epilepsy, talk to your doctor before using rhythmic sound, and never listen while driving. Shimmr’s library is organised by these five bands, from Delta to Gamma. Shifts move the beat from one band to another, for example Awake → Asleep, which glides from Alpha to Delta over 20 to 90 minutes. In Sound Canvas, you can drag a tone to change its beat live. In the app Awake → Asleep · 20 to 90 min A Shift that glides the beat from Alpha down to Delta, two of the five bands, then holds it while you drift off. ## Common questions **What are the 5 types of brain waves?** Delta (0.5 to 4 Hz), theta (4 to 8 Hz), alpha (8 to 12 Hz), beta (12 to 30 Hz) and gamma (above 30 Hz). They run from deep sleep at the slow end to intense focus at the fast end. **Which brain wave is best for sleep?** Delta waves fill deep sleep, and theta waves mark the drift into light sleep. Most sleep sounds start in alpha or theta and move down towards delta. **Which brain wave is best for focus?** Beta waves (12 to 30 Hz) go with alert, active thinking, so most focus sounds use a beat in the beta range. Some people also try 40 Hz gamma, though the evidence in people is still early. **Can you change your brain waves with sound?** Possibly, but the evidence is mixed. A 2023 review of 14 studies found that only 5 showed the brain following a binaural beat, 8 did not and 1 was mixed. **What brain waves happen during meditation?** Meditation is most often linked with alpha and theta waves, the bands of relaxed and deep rest. The mix depends on the style of meditation and the person. Keep reading - [Relaxation Alpha waves benefits: what 8 to 12 Hz does and how to use it to unwind or study](https://shimmr.app/learn/alpha-waves/) - [Meditation Theta waves: benefits and how to reach a theta state](https://shimmr.app/learn/theta-waves/) - [Focus Beta waves: what they do and what beta binaural beats offer](https://shimmr.app/learn/beta-waves/) This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Binaural beats are not a treatment for insomnia or any other condition.