Estimation of effects of alpha music on EEG components by time and frequency domain analysis

The acute central system effects of relaxation techniques have not been systematically studied. We conducted a study of the EEG patterns of 10 subjects who were given an audio stimulus of Alpha music. The EEG is acquired using BIOPAC Student Lab with suitably placed silver/silver chloride electrodes to study the effects of Alpha music on Alpha and Beta rhythms of the subjects EEG. Research shows Alpha waves are predominantly observed in healthy relaxed individuals. Since anxiety and stress are major emotional contents of human beings, the goal of this experiment is to assess the means of relaxation and concentration using Alpha music, which influence the alpha and beta rhythms significantly. For each subject, three EEG recordings were taken. One before the alpha music stimulus, one after 6 minutes of Alpha music and the last towards the end of alpha music. There was an increase in the maximum amplitudes of Alpha waves either after 6 minutes or after 12 minutes of alpha music. However, the maximum amplitude of beta waves showed a decline of up to 40% from the initial value. The standard deviation of both Alpha and Beta waves are almost stable between the mid and final recording. These results, namely, the increase in Alpha activity and decrease in Beta activity indicate that subjects experience `relaxed alertness'. Under the influence of Alpha music, subjects reported a dramatic reduction in feelings of stress and an increased sense of physical relaxation compared to normal state.