It seems like every other week there’s a new wellness trend doing rounds on TikTok, and this week is no different. With everything going on in the world right now, anxiety seems to never be far away, and finding methods to manage it should be a key priority. From mediation to journaling to talk therapy, everyone has their own preferences, and TikTok has recently exposed us to a new one: Brain flossing.
Move aside teeth, you’re not the only thing that gets flossed anymore. The practice trending on TikTok right now dubbed “brain flossing” is great for anyone experiencing anxiety or stress and has also been touted as a beneficial habit for those with ADHD. In the same way that flossing your teeth helps to clean them, brain flossing can help to clear your head, relieve stress, and improve focus.Â
“Brain flossing,” also called “brain massage,” has a formal name: bilateral stimulation. It works by bouncing sound between your left and right ears, stimulating both hemispheres of your brain in a unique way that can lead to calming effects for most people. This particular brand of bilateral stimulation is centered around sound — most often music — and is best practiced with headphones. It’s also possible to experience bilateral stimulation by laying your phone horizontally to allow the sound to bounce between the two speakers. This back-and-forth effect of the sound panning between ears is where the practice gets its nickname.
So, how do i brain floss?
You can find a variety of playlists or tracks on TikTok, YouTube, or Spotify by searching for “bilateral stimulation music” or “8D audio.” Whether it becomes part of a mediation practice or gets incorporated into study sessions, the relaxation and focus benefits can extend across and individual’s day-to-day. The trend has been especially popular among neurodivergent individuals, who naturally experience sensations differently and many of whom have found bilateral stimulation helpful. Of course, it’s not for everyone, and some users might feel overstimulated or sick when trying it out. If you want to give it a shot, remember to pay attention to your own reactions.Â
Bilateral stimulation is nothing new. A 2024 article on VeryWellMind explains the basics of bilateral stimulation as practiced in therapy, including auditory sessions along with methods involving eye movement and physical touch. All of them work in similar ways to stimulate both hemispheres and help with recovery and coping mechanisms. “It helps you just get unstuck from one side of your brain,” said Dr. Naomi Bernstein, a clinical psychiatrist, in a recent TikTok. “It helps you reconnect with a different part of your brain.”
So, set aside a time, grab your headphones, and see if this practice can help ease some of that late-February stress and get you back in the game!Â