iPhone users can now “control their mental state on demand” with the science-backed Brain.fm. We can pretty much control our mental state on demand regardless of an app or not, but that’s not the point of Brain.fm. It is not a replacement of innate mental capacity, but rather a brain wave frequency altering technology that affects one’s behavior positively.
Brain.fm creates functional music composed by humans — not software — using patented neural phase-locking technology to help you focus in on the work you need to get done. The music is made to sit in the background so you can work to ambient vibes and not worry about if it will distract you.
If you ever need an example of the peaceful coexistence between science, technology, and art, Brain.fm is it.
This Isn’t Binaural Beats
Brain.fm’s high-science standards mean that this isn’t another binaural beats YouTube video that’s supposed to increase happiness. Their music is tested legitimately using fMRI and EEG and in large-scale experimentation settings using controls. It is a much more complex system, and trusted at that, than a binaural beat track.
Brain.fm App for iPhone
Brain.fm is wonderfully compatible with iPhone devices, but you must be running iOS 10 or higher. The app is free to download from the Apple App Store, and your first five sessions are on the house. To unlock more music/plays, you’ll have to pay for one of three monthly subscription plans.
$6.99 for one month
$15.99 for three months
$49.99 for 12 months
The iPhone app is compatible with family sharing, so up to six family members may use it.
If you would like to try out Brain.fm for free for your desktop, go to their website. You can sign up for a free trial. You will have to create an account, but don’t have to provide payment details. With their trial, you receive five free sessions, just like the iPhone app.
Using the iPhone App
Developers suggest using headphones with the app for the best results.
Getting Started
To get started with the iPhone app, first download and install it to your phone.
Tap the Free Sessions button.
The app will ask you what you would like to improve first (why you are using Brain.fm): Focus, Relaxation, Sleep, or Meditation.
Brain.fm will then select the appropriate ambient music/soundscape for you. You can change this and the length of your session as you please.
Creating and Controlling Workflow Habits
Even though Brain.fm is not promoted as a meditation app, it has features similar to meditation apps, giving it a practiced, disciplined feel.
One of the features you’ll find on the iPhone app is Create a Habit. Using this, you can set reminders for yourself to turn on the application at specific points during the day. Being able to adjust the time of a session also encourages you to take breaks at specified intervals.
Explore Music
Choosing the Explore icon at the bottom of the screen (a square made of four boxes) will bring you to different genres within the Focus, Relax, or Sleep categories. Here you can discover new music, from classical to electronic to chimes and bowls.
You can also tell Brain.fm what kind of work you’re doing, whether it’s more creative work or a heavy-duty study session. The app will choose what it thinks will help you out the most.
Save Your Favorites
If you find that there are a set of tracks that really help your state of mind while working, relaxing, meditating, etc., you can go into your Library settings, view the tracks you’ve recently listened to, and save them to your favorites.
Final Verdict
Overall, Brain.fm is really cool. Though a person’s go-to instinct with the app may be to use it to promote work productivity, the app is also made to help you relax and sleep. We aren’t worker bees all the time! Its portability makes it ideal for commuters, students, and remote workers, and its interface is bold enough to read on the iPhone screen.
If you are skeptical of the app, go ahead and read more in-depth information about the science behind it. But rest assured that Brain.fm is not here to permanently alter your brain waves or brainwash you into buying something. It is here to tune your brain into the task at hand.
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