# Brainwave induction?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwave-induction/420283>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 24, 2007, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwave-induction/420283 "2007-09-24T08:54:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Impetus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecd19e/32.png) [@Impetus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Impetus)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwave-induction/420283/1 "2007-09-24T08:54:49Z")

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I’ve seen articles about brain activity during sleep, in which certain brainwave patterns are observed. Has anyone tried to electromagnetically induce these same patterns, to cause a person to fall asleep? How about other forms of induction, such as with patterns of light, sound, or conceptual constructs?

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**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brainwave-induction/420283/2 "2007-09-24T09:47:12Z")

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I’ve seen products that claim to induce the kind of brainwaves indicative of a relaxed and calm state, or indicative of deep sleep, to help you relax or fall/stay asleep. I don’t think they’re doing it with magnetics like an actual transcranial magnetic stimulator would, though. I’m sure there are people here who know more about it who will hopefully be along shortly.