Figure 8B. The progression of brain-wave development from Delta in
infancy to Beta in adulthood. Look at the difference in the three ranges of
Beta: high-range Beta can be twice as high as mid-range Beta.Brain-Wave States in Adults: An Overview
Beta. As you’re reading this chapter, most likely you are in the everyday
waking state of Beta brain-wave activity. Your brain is processing sensory
data and trying to create meaning between your outer and inner worlds.
While you are engaged in this book’s material, you may feel the weight of
your body on your seat, you may hear music in the background, you may
glance up and see out a window. All of this data is being processed by your
thinking neocortex.
Alpha. Now, let’s say that you close your eyes (80 percent of our sensory
information derives from sight) and purposefully go inward. Since you are
greatly reducing sensory data from the environment, less information is