alpha wave
noun
: an electrical rhythm of the brain with a frequency of approximately 8 to 13 cycles per second that is often associated with a state of wakeful relaxation
called also alpha, alpha rhythm
Examples of alpha wave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The headband emits acoustic simulation that responds to the user’s brainwaves to induce sleep by suppressing alpha waves, which occur when the brain is in a relaxed state but still awake.
—
Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
For instance, alpha waves occur in a more relaxed mental state, while beta waves tend to be produced when a person is alert or focused.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 24 Sep. 2024
In the insight case, the brain scans showed that in the second before the answer was reached, there was a burst of alpha waves in the right occipital cortex, which processes vision.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 July 2024
Someone who is relaxed with eyes closed but not asleep produces alpha waves at around 10 hertz.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2024
Previous research that connected alpha waves with depression led Soltani and Voytek to initially hypothesize that ECT influences alpha waves.
—Elizabeth Landau, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
For example, alpha waves, with frequencies of 8 to 12 hertz, tend to appear during deep relaxation or sleep.
—Elizabeth Landau, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
One of the endophenotypes in the Minnesota study, for example, was brain alpha wave frequency as measured with EEG.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 2014
This video shows the dramatic, widespread drop in alpha wave amplitude (deep blue color on leftmost head) following counterclockwise rotations.
—Shinsuke Shimojo, Daw-An Wu, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2019
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Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
For instance, alpha waves occur in a more relaxed mental state, while beta waves tend to be produced when a person is alert or focused.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 24 Sep. 2024
In the insight case, the brain scans showed that in the second before the answer was reached, there was a burst of alpha waves in the right occipital cortex, which processes vision.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 July 2024
Someone who is relaxed with eyes closed but not asleep produces alpha waves at around 10 hertz.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2024
Previous research that connected alpha waves with depression led Soltani and Voytek to initially hypothesize that ECT influences alpha waves.
—Elizabeth Landau, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
For example, alpha waves, with frequencies of 8 to 12 hertz, tend to appear during deep relaxation or sleep.
—Elizabeth Landau, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
One of the endophenotypes in the Minnesota study, for example, was brain alpha wave frequency as measured with EEG.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 2014
This video shows the dramatic, widespread drop in alpha wave amplitude (deep blue color on leftmost head) following counterclockwise rotations.
—Shinsuke Shimojo, Daw-An Wu, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Alpha wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alpha%20wave. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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