BrainTap is a wearable headset paired with a mobile app that uses light pulses, audio tones, and guided visualization to shift your brain wave activity into states associated with relaxation, focus, or sleep. The system was created by Patrick Porter, a neuro-linguistic programming practitioner who introduced the first version of the device at the Consumer Electronics Show in 1989, where it won “Best New Gadget of the Year.” The current version combines LED lights built into a visor and earphones with a library of over 2,000 guided audio sessions accessible through a subscription app.
How the Technology Works
BrainTap relies on a concept called brain wave entrainment: the idea that your brain will naturally synchronize its electrical activity to match external rhythmic stimuli. Your brain produces electrical patterns at different frequencies depending on what you’re doing. Slower frequencies (delta and theta waves) dominate during deep sleep and drowsiness. Faster ones (beta and gamma waves) show up during alert focus and problem-solving. Alpha waves sit in the middle, associated with calm wakefulness.
The system tries to nudge your brain toward specific frequency ranges using three tools simultaneously. The first is light: the headset contains blue LEDs in the visor (at 440 nanometers wavelength) and both blue and red LEDs (665 nanometers) in the earpieces, which pulse at set rhythms. The second tool is audio tones, including binaural beats, where slightly different frequencies are played in each ear so your brain perceives a third “beat” at the difference between them. The third is guided visualization, essentially narrated relaxation or goal-oriented imagery sessions designed using neuro-linguistic programming techniques.
The idea is that combining all three inputs creates a stronger entrainment effect than any single one alone. A session designed for sleep, for example, would gradually guide your brain toward slower delta-wave patterns, while a focus session would target faster beta or gamma activity.
What a Session Looks Like
You put on the headset, select a session from the app, close your eyes, and listen. The lights pulse through closed eyelids while audio plays through the earphones. Most guidance suggests using BrainTap at least three times a week to notice results, with daily use recommended for more significant changes. For specific goals like improving sleep or reducing anxiety, some practitioners suggest twice-daily sessions: one in the morning and one before bed.
The app organizes its 2,000-plus sessions into categories targeting different outcomes, from stress reduction and sleep to weight management and athletic performance. You don’t need the headset to use the app’s audio sessions, but the light component is only available through the hardware.
What the Research Shows
The broader concept of brain wave entrainment has some scientific support, though the evidence specifically for BrainTap as a product is more limited. A study published in the journal Bioinformation tested delta-wave brain wave entrainment on medical students in India and found significant improvements in sleep. Participants saw meaningful increases in total sleep duration, deep sleep time, and overall sleep quality scores, along with fewer nighttime awakenings. The effect sizes were large, particularly for deep sleep and overall sleep scores.
Previous research on brain wave entrainment more generally has reported improvements in heart rate variability, a measure of how well your nervous system shifts between “fight or flight” and “rest and digest” modes. Higher heart rate variability is generally associated with better stress resilience and cardiovascular health.
BrainTap’s own internal study, conducted with employees wearing BioStrap fitness trackers, found that the technology significantly decreased self-reported stress and improved self-reported sleep quality, mood, and energy levels. However, the objective measurements collected by the wearable trackers, including heart rate, oxygen saturation, and sleep metrics, did not reach statistical significance. That gap between how people felt and what the devices measured is worth noting. It suggests the subjective experience of relaxation is real, but the measurable physiological changes may be more modest or harder to detect.
Researchers in the Bioinformation study noted that future randomized controlled trials incorporating EEG brain wave data and heart rate variability measurements are needed to clarify exactly how brain wave entrainment works at a physiological level and whether repeated sessions build on each other over time.
Cost and Subscription Options
BrainTap operates on a subscription model. The app alone costs $29.99 per month or $260 per year (about $21.67 monthly). The headset itself is $797 if purchased separately. A bundle that includes one year of the app plus the headset runs $907. All subscriptions start with a 14-day free trial.
You can use the guided audio sessions through the app with any pair of headphones. The headset adds the LED light therapy component, which is the piece most directly tied to the brain wave entrainment research. If you’re testing whether the approach works for you, starting with the app subscription before investing in the hardware is the lower-risk option.
Who Should Be Cautious
Flashing or pulsing lights are a known seizure trigger for people with photosensitive epilepsy. If you have a seizure disorder or a history of light-triggered episodes, the LED component of the headset poses a real risk. People with pacemakers or other implanted electronic devices should also exercise caution with any technology that delivers light or electromagnetic stimulation near the head and ears. Pregnant individuals and anyone with a serious psychiatric condition should check with a provider before using brain wave entrainment tools, since deliberately altering brain wave states could interact unpredictably with certain conditions or medications.