Sound-based Meditation Alters Brain Activity: EEG Evidence for Power Reduction and Enhanced Conscious Alertness.
Annals of neurosciences March 1, 2026 Km Megha, Ankita Mishra, Raksha Sharma et al.
Rhythmic sound meditation (RSM) reduces EEG power across all frequency bands—delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma—particularly in prefrontal and frontocentral brain regions, compared to a resting state. Subjective alertness increased after RSM, with 93.3% of participants reporting alertness, versus 73.3% after resting. The findings suggest that RSM induces distinct neurophysiological changes characterized by widespread EEG power suppression in frontal areas and heightened subjective alertness, supporting its potential for promoting altered states of consciousness.