The Theta brainwave is a process that quiets the mind.
Our waking brain state, is beta. Alpha is that daydreamy state, that is slower and more relaxed. Closing your eyes will begin to put your brain into alpha, so if you feel overwhelmed, taking a mini break and closing your eyes...helps.
A theta rhythm, though, is an EEG brainwave pattern that is even slower, and it's observed in the hippocampus in rodent experients. Hippocampus is the brain area that has to do with memory, what to pay attention to, what to really pay attention to, what gets shuffled back to long term memory, or more specifically UP to the neocortex...or really around to the neocortex...oh let me add a picture...
Hippocampus is that green piece...see it? Now this is not a rodent brain-it's a human brain. It's funny that we've studied the hippocampus in rodents in terms of theta but we don't want to 'scientifically' say it's the same for humans...wonder why?You can hit a theta state with any repeating action or sound. Running, swimming, walking will put you into a type 1 thetawave. Drumming, rattling and sacred trance dance will also put you into a theta state. A theta rhythm is a very regular oscillating wave that synchronizes the brain.
Isn't it interesting that the hippocampus, that area that has a significant role in learning and memory, is so positively affected by accessing a theta rhythm?