The Flatline: A Strange Silence

I recently spoiled myself with a meditation headband. I saw some interesting things, but nothing too insane. Then things really got weird after I recorded my brain waves while asleep.

The first thing I noticed when reviewing this recording was a complete absence of brainwave activity. For a stretch of time, everything flatlined at 0. I know, right? Weird!

At first, I thought this might be an artifact or a technical glitch. But when the waves began to return, they did so in an unexpected sequence and with highly organized behavior. Each wave reactivated individually, almost as if following a systematic process.

Here’s what I observed.

Delta Comes Back Online

Delta waves were the first to return. Their reappearance wasn’t random—it followed a strikingly consistent pattern:

5 counts at -0.01 µV: A slight dip below zero.

5 counts at 0 µV: A complete stillness.

4 counts at +0.01 µV: A gradual, steady rebound.

And so on...

This rhythmic behavior suggests something far more deliberate than simple reactivation. Delta appeared to “reset” itself—building a foundation for what came next.

Theta Follows Next

After delta stabilized, theta waves returned. Their reactivation was smooth and progressive, with clean oscillations that increased steadily in amplitude.

Unlike delta’s rhythmic precision, theta’s behavior was more natural—no erratic spikes, just a continuous buildup as the brain seemed to transition into a more active state.

Alpha Joins In

Alpha waves came next, returning with symmetrical oscillations and an orderly, steady increase in amplitude.

What stood out was how stable alpha appeared—like a bridge connecting the slower waves of delta and theta to the next stages. It presented no irregularities, no abrupt changes—just calm, deliberate progression.

SMR Returns Early

This is where the sequence took an unexpected turn. SMR (Sensorimotor Rhythm) reappeared before beta waves.

The curve was smooth and consistent, stabilizing quickly without disruption. Given that SMR is typically part of the beta range, its early reactivation suggests a possible role as a precursor—perhaps grounding sensory-motor systems before the brain reintroduced active cognition.

Gamma Makes an Early Return

After SMR, gamma waves reactivated. Gamma didn’t behave like theta or alpha—instead, it showed a sharp downward dip before stabilizing and increasing in amplitude.

This recalibration-like dip raises questions. Gamma appeared before beta waves, which challenges the assumption that localized cognitive processes should return first. Could this indicate a prioritization of global neural integration before the brain resumes active thought?

Beta Waves: A Rapid Reappearance

Finally, beta waves returned. Unlike the gradual build-up seen in theta and alpha, beta surged back rapidly.

The amplitude increased sharply, almost exponentially, as if the brain had shifted gears into active processing mode. Beta’s waveform suggests it was the final step—returning only after stability (SMR) and integration (gamma) had been established.

The Complete Awakening Sequence

Here’s the full reactivation order I observed:

1. Delta: Rhythmic pauses and progression.
2. Theta: Smooth, gradual oscillations.
3. Alpha: Symmetrical, stable reactivation.
4. SMR: Early return with consistent stabilization.
5. Gamma: Recalibration dip before integration.
6. Beta: Rapid surge in amplitude.

What Happened Before This?

Now, here’s where I buried the first bone—because I didn’t expect you to believe me until you saw the awakening sequence for yourself.

The flatline I observed lasted over 3 minutes.

From 21:49 to 24:14, every wave stayed at 0 µV. Across all frequencies.

Here’s the screenshot, because I know this is hard to believe—I barely believe it myself.

And How Did It End?

And here’s the second bone I buried, the one I’m still trying to wrap my head around.

After over 2 minutes at 0, delta waves didn’t just return—they exploded.

With all that time to build up energy, delta surged for 17 seconds, eventually reaching an amplitude of:

164,740.24 µV

I know. It sounds absurd. The only explanation I can think of is that the device’s algorithm may have amplified the signal beyond reasonable limits. But still…

I can’t validate these anomalies on my own, I'm just a weirdo with a meditation headband. But if you're reading this, you probably can!

Questions for Consideration

1. Is this a device artifact?  Could the headband have amplified the delta amplitude inaccurately?
   

1. What could cause such an organized reactivation sequence after 3+ minutes of flatline?  I have a theory but it's even wackier than the data, I think it's evidence of my advanced spiritual awakening. 

1. Why did SMR and gamma waves return before beta?  Your guess is a lot better than mine, what do you think?

Conclusion: Help Me Prove I’m Not Crazy

I’ve always known I had a weird brain, but this data left me stunned. If you’re a neurologist, neuroscientist, or anyone with the tools to dig deeper, I’m asking for your help…

Scan my brain.

Please?

Because if this is real, I want to understand it. I feel like uncovering this anomaly was a part of my life's mission. Help me to do my work!

Update (12/16/24):

I decided to manually transcribe some data from the Serenibrain app to show this phenomenon more clearly. Here's a visual of the full flatline and the shut down and start up sequences. The timestamp in these visuals does not accurately represent the time in the recording.

Here's the shut down sequence before the flatline zoomed in. You can see that theta was the second to last to shut down, mirroring it being the first to start up again.

Here's the start up sequence after the flatline zoomed in.

I was also able to generate a frequency spectrum showing both start up and shut down sequences were at 0.93Hz

I'll be updating this page with more information as it becomes available. I've ordered a Muse S headband so I'll be able to extract the raw data. Thanks for checking it out!