What is bilateral audio, and does it reduce anxiety?

Bilateral audio uses sounds that move from left to right in a slow, rhythmic pattern. It borrows the left-right rhythm used in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), a therapy the World Health Organisation lists as an option for PTSD. The evidence for audio-only bilateral stimulation is limited, and it has not been shown to reduce anxiety on its own, so Unwind is designed as a calming listening experience, not a clinical treatment.

Do I need headphones for the Unwind feature?

Yes, headphones are recommended for the full bilateral effect. Bilateral stimulation works by playing alternating sounds in each ear, and binaural beats require slightly different frequencies in each ear to create the perceived third tone.

What are binaural beats?

Binaural beats occur when two tones of slightly different frequencies are played in separate ears. The brain perceives a third tone at the difference between the two frequencies. The research is mixed and not settled. One review found evidence for reduced anxiety in clinical populations, with theta-frequency beats (4 to 7 Hz) showing the most consistent effects on relaxation and stress reduction.

EMDR-Style Bilateral Audio: Binaural Beats for Anxiety and Stress

A core feature in MoodFire, the anxiety and wellbeing app for iOS and Android.

The MoodFire Unwind player showing an EMDR relaxation track with playback controls, a sleep timer and ambient sound.

See it in the app

Calming bilateral audio with a sleep timer, ambient sound and lock-screen controls.

Download MoodFire

Some kinds of stress don’t respond to thinking your way out. The tension sits in your body. Your nervous system stays revved even when there’s nothing obviously wrong. You feel wound up but can’t point to a specific thought causing it.

MoodFire’s Unwind feature is designed for exactly this. Twenty calming audio tracks that use EMDR-style bilateral stimulation and binaural beats, giving you something slow and predictable to rest your attention on.

How Unwind works

Put on headphones and press play. Gentle sounds move from left to right in a slow, rhythmic pattern. The sound reaches one ear, then the other, while the calming soundscape gives your attention somewhere safe to rest.

Some tracks incorporate binaural beats, where slightly different frequencies are played in each ear, creating a perceived third tone that is claimed to encourage brainwave states associated with relaxation.

What the research says about bilateral stimulation

Bilateral stimulation is a core component of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapy developed for processing traumatic memories. The World Health Organisation lists EMDR as an option for PTSD [1], and a meta-analysis of trials in people with PTSD found reductions in symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety and subjective distress [2].

While MoodFire’s Unwind feature is not a replacement for clinical EMDR therapy, it borrows the same alternating left-right rhythm. In a 2025 laboratory study, bilateral stimulation through the eyes and through touch both lowered physiological arousal, with higher heart rate variability and slower breathing [3]. The evidence for audio-only bilateral stimulation is thinner: one study found that alternating tones did not produce the memory effects seen with eye movements and taps [4]. Unwind is designed as a calming listening experience, not a clinical treatment.

What binaural beats do

Binaural beats occur when two tones of slightly different frequencies are played in separate ears. The brain perceives a third tone at the difference between the two frequencies. Some research suggests that certain binaural beat frequencies can influence brainwave patterns; the findings are mixed and not settled.

A systematic review of binaural beat research found evidence for reduced anxiety in clinical populations, with theta-frequency beats (4–7 Hz) showing the most consistent effects on relaxation and stress reduction [5]. A separate study found that binaural beats in the alpha range (8–13 Hz) were associated with reduced state anxiety and improved mood [6].

When to use Unwind

Before sleep. If your mind won’t settle at night, bilateral audio gives your brain a gentle focus point that doesn’t require active effort. It’s less demanding than meditation, and some people use it as part of a wind-down routine. No trials have shown that bilateral audio improves sleep.

After a stressful event. When your body is still carrying tension from something that happened hours ago, Unwind gives you a few quiet minutes to let it settle, without requiring you to think it through.

During a break. Ten minutes with headphones and a bilateral audio track can serve as a calming break during a busy day.

Pairs well with

Breathing exercises. Start with Breathe to calm your body, then transition into Unwind for deeper relaxation.
Grounding technique. If bilateral audio alone isn’t enough, pair it with Ground’s sensory technique.
Mood tracking. Check in before and after using Unwind to track its impact on your mood over time.

Private and headphone-ready

All twenty Unwind tracks are available to download. MoodFire is available on iOS and Android. Headphones are recommended for the full bilateral effect.