Study Finds Listening to Brainwaves Alleviates Stress and Anxiety in Healthcare Workers

Charles H. Tegeler, M.D., a professor of neurology and principal investigator of the study, emphasized that healthcare workers face unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety, highlighting the urgent need for scalable and evidence-based interventions.

Stress is a biological response to threats or demanding situations, activated by the brain through the autonomic nervous system. Persistent exposure to stress can lead to adverse health outcomes by making these responses feel like the new norm.

Since 2011, the Brain Body Research Program at Wake Forest has been studying a closed-loop acoustic neuromodulation technology called Cereset Research™, which translates brainwaves into personalized tones. These tones are designed to help the brain achieve harmony and calm by breaking free from entrenched stress patterns.

In this study, 144 healthcare workers with moderate to high stress levels participated in a trial. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group underwent four sessions of the sound-based relaxation intervention over two weeks, while the other served as a waitlist control. Each session lasted about 36 minutes and took place in a zero-gravity chair with participants closing their eyes.

The primary goal was to assess whether this intervention would lower stress levels as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale, alongside evaluations of anxiety and sleep quality. Additional factors such as mood, fatigue, and cognitive function were also examined. The waitlist group received the relaxation sessions after the study concluded.

Key findings included significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and insomnia among participants. Additionally, there were notable decreases in fatigue and depression and improvements in cognitive function. The intervention proved to be brief, safe, and well-tolerated without any serious adverse effects. Unlike previous studies, this research included participants regardless of their medication or substance use, making it easier to implement in real-world settings.

Tegeler remarked that these results indicate closed-loop acoustic neuromodulation is a safe and effective option that can complement strategies aimed at enhancing healthcare worker well-being. Plans are underway to broaden access to this intervention across health systems.

Future research will focus on the long-term benefits of the intervention, the effects of periodic maintenance sessions, and its impact on the autonomic nervous system.

The study received support from a research grant from The Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation, Inc. Data collection and management were supported by NIH grant UL1TR00142. Cereset Research is a registered trademark of Brain State Technologies, LLC, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has been licensed to Wake Forest University for collaborative research since 2011.