Editing Mind machine (section)

{{Short description|Meditation device}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Undue weight|date=May 2023}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=May 2023}}
{{Fringe theories|date=May 2023}}
}}
[[File:Mind machine.jpg|thumb|320px|A light and sound machine with headphones and strobe light goggles]]
A '''mind machine''' (aka ''brain machine'' or ''light and sound machine'') uses pulsing rhythmic [[sound]], flashing [[light]], or a combination of these. Mind machines can [[Induced activity|induce deep states of relaxation]]<ref name=binaural_relaxation>{{ cite journal |last1 = McConnell |first1 = Patrick A |last2 = Froeliger |first2 = Brett |last3 = Garland |first3 = Eric L |last4 = Ives |first4 = Jeffrey C |last5 = Sforzo |first5 = Gary A |year = 2014 |title = Auditory driving of the autonomic nervous system: Listening to theta-frequency binaural beats post-exercise increases parasympathetic activation and sympathetic withdrawal. |journal = Frontiers in Psychology |quote = binaural-beat associated HRV significantly predicted subsequent reported relaxation. Findings suggest that listening to binaural beats may exert an acute influence on both LF and HF components of HRV and may increase subjective feelings of relaxation. |doi = 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01248|pmid = 25452734 |pages = 1248 |volume = 5 |pmc=4231835|doi-access = free }}</ref>  or concentration.<ref name=binaural_attention>{{ cite journal |last1 = Colzato |first1 = Lorenza S |last2 = Barone |first2 = Hayley |last3 = Sellaro |first3 = Roberta |last4 = Hommel |first4 = Bernhard |year = 2015 |title = More attentional focusing through binaural beats: evidence from the global-local task. |journal = Psychological Research |quote = While the size of the congruency effect (indicating the failure to suppress task-irrelevant information) was unaffected by the binaural beats, the global-precedence effect (reflecting attentional focusing) was considerably smaller after gamma-frequency binaural beats than after the control condition. Our findings suggest that high-frequency binaural beats bias the individual attentional processing style towards a reduced spotlight of attention. |pmid = 26612201 |pmc = 5233742 |volume = November 26 |issue = 1 |pages = 271–277 |doi=10.1007/s00426-015-0727-0}}</ref>

The process applied by some of these machines is said to induce [[brainwave entrainment|brainwave synchronisation]] or entrainment.<ref name=Wackermann>{{cite journal
 |url        = http://www.efectoganzfeld.com/uploads/5/3/0/3/5303662/ganzfeld.pdf
 |title      = Ganzfeld-induced hallucinatory experience, its phenomenology and cerebral electrophysiology
 |year       = 2008
 |journal    = Cortex
 |volume = 44
 |issue = 10
 |pages = 1364–1378
 |pmid = 18621366
 |doi = 10.1016/j.cortex.2007.05.003
 |s2cid = 18683890
 |last1 = Wackermann
 |first1 = J.
 |last2 = Putz
 |first2 = P.
 |last3 = Allefeld
 |first3 = C.
 }}</ref>