Subliminal messages are potentially powerful ways to influence your thoughts, actions, and behaviors. There are several different ways that they can be delivered, and one of the most popular (and controversial) are through silent subliminals.
Here, we’ll examine the facts behind subliminal messaging. You’ll learn what it is and how it can help shape your behavior. We discuss if the practice works and supply details from clinical studies with compelling findings. Finally, you’ll get tips on ways you can use silent subliminals in your life to manifest changes you want to see and goals you want to achieve.
Let’s start with the basics.
What Are Subliminal Messages?
It’s worth starting by noting that it’s common to confuse subliminal messaging with supraliminal messaging. To understand why let’s begin by defining each.
Supraliminal messages use signals and stimuli that you can hear, see, or otherwise perceive to influence your behavior, without you realizing it. An excellent example of how this works is available in a study from researchers from 1999, where they attempted to influence shopper behavior in a supermarket.
They monitored the behavior of the type of wine patrons purchased on two separate days. During the first day, the store played traditional German music, and on the second, they played French music. The different genres served as a supraliminal stimulus, and the shoppers purchased wine from the countries where the music originated on the days it played.
In an exit survey, people who purchased either German or French wine admitted that they were aware music was playing, but they didn’t realize the effect it had on their behavior.
Conversely, subliminal messages are also stimulus that can influence your behavior, but they occur below where your conscious mind can perceive them. In other words, even if you concentrate or search for subliminal signals, you won’t be able to find them even if you’re experiencing them.
Subliminal messages can be delivered both visually or via audio. If they’re layered into images, they will flash across the screen so quickly that you wouldn’t realize they are there – a few milliseconds at most.
In auditory messages, the delivery is via a frequency that’s too low for you to detect, or it might also be layered beneath, and hidden by other sounds like waves, rain, or music. When you use legitimate subliminal messages, it’s possible that the directives are absorbed into your subconscious without your conscious mind to stop and question them.
The theory is, this makes it possible for these suggestions to influence you on a deeper level without meeting resistance or objections.
What Are Silent Subliminals?
Silent subliminals are audio recordings, and as the definition implies, they can’t be heard or perceived by your conscious mind. They exist in one of two forms – layered underneath sounds like music or natural ambient noises, or on their own without any overlapping tones.
If you listen to a recording of a silent subliminal message on its own, it sounds like nothing. Although it might seem awkward listening to a completely silent recording, there are ways to confirm that the directive exists and is simply at a frequency you can’t perceive. We’ll discuss those below.
Ways Silent Subliminals Can Help You
Changing your thoughts and behaviors can be difficult. If you’ve ever tried to break a habit, like smoking, or to make a positive change, like losing weight, you know that many external factors influence your decisions.
On a conscious level, we run everything we see and hear through our internal filter, which can sometimes be filled with negative self-talk or limiting beliefs. This can make it challenging to internalize positive affirmations or daily mantras and to change for the better.
However, messages that happen at a subconscious level aren’t stopped and scrutinized by your brain the same way. Perhaps one of the most recognizable psychologists of his time, Sigmund Freud, found that unconscious thoughts can occur more than 40,0000 times per day.
If you could control and shape these, then you have the potential to reprogram your brain and change almost anything about yourself that you’d like to improve.
Silent subliminals can help shape things like:
- Beliefs
- Habits
- Desires
- Emotional reactions
- Attitude
- Personality traits
- Physical characteristics
Users have seen success in harnessing the power of these types of messages to do things like quit smoking, lose weight, find a love match, lower anxiety levels, become more successful, make more money, and improve their self-esteem. In other testimonials or anecdotes, people say they’ve even been able to grow their hair, change their eye color, or become taller through using these suggestions.
Of course, some naysayers think the practice is complete mumbo jumbo with no basis in science. To help debunk that myth, let’s dive deeper into how subliminals work and explore scientific studies that support their efficacy.
How Subliminals Work
Effective recordings are created and voiced by a professional who is experienced in guided meditation or hypnotherapy. Some companies may also hire a vocal talent, like the people who read audiobooks or do voice over work for the radio, to record the affirmations or statements.
Once recorded, the producer will modulate the voice using equalization, or EQ. EQ is a processing technique that adjusts the frequency of the sound and volume. In regular music production, it’s sometimes also referred to as “autotuning” and is used to smooth out any imperfections in music or vocals.
In subliminals, EQ manipulates the frequency so that the voice is no longer heard by human ears but will still make the tympanic membrane of your ear vibrate and will resonate with your subconscious mind. From there, your brain decodes the message and internalizes it. Over time, these positive affirmations may become part of your everyday conscious thoughts and beliefs.
Do Silent Subliminals Work?
Scientists have been studying the effects of subliminal messaging for decades, and there is substantial and compelling evidence that it works. Although not all researchers agree, the findings are convincing enough that governments around the world have created laws around subliminal techniques.
In the U.S., the organization that regulates television and radio broadcasting, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), can revoke any broadcast license if they find that subliminal techniques have been used. The notice was created in 1974 and has been referenced on numerous occasions since when networks have been accused of using the method in advertising or programming.
The US government defines subliminal messaging as: “Any technique whereby an attempt is made to convey information to the viewer by transmitting messages below the threshold level of normal awareness.” Although the FCC does not openly acknowledge that it is useful, they do say that it could go against the objective to serve the public interest and may be deceptive, depending on how it’s used.
Australia and Great Britain also have similar laws and views on these techniques when used without the knowledge of their viewers.
These governments have reason to regulate these messages. Here are X studies that show the effects of subliminal messages on the mind.
Subliminal Messages Effect on Your Dreams
In 1986, researchers studied how the unconscious brain perceives a verbal recording that your conscious mind can’t understand when you’re asleep. The researchers broke the participants into two groups. The first listened to an audio subliminal message mixed into a music recording while sleeping, and the second just listened to the music.
Each group did a round of pre and post-test drawings. In the pre-test, they were asked to draw any dreams they had the previous night. After the message was administered, they were asked the same.
When researchers examined the drawings, they were able to see correlations between the hidden imagery suggested in the subliminal recordings and what the group said they saw in their dreams. The control group who didn’t listen to the messages did not have any response.
Based on these findings, they concluded that the brain could perceive subliminal messages that can’t be heard, and it shows that your mind is able to decipher the information it receives at an unconscious level and use it to create conscious thoughts.
Subliminal Messages Effect on Your Decision Making
In this 2016 study published in Neuroscience and Consciousness, researchers wanted to determine how long subliminal suggestions could affect your decision making. The team agreed that these implanted thoughts can influence your actions, emotions, and attitudes and could impact your intentions, decisions, and the way you cognitively process decisions.
In their study, they found that subliminal stimulation was effective in producing both immediate effects and could also influence delayed decision making. They concluded that more research is needed to understand the longevity of the impact fully.
Although these findings are only preliminary, this could mean that daily repetition and use of subliminal messaging is vital to produce the desired effects in your everyday life.
Subliminal Messages vs. Audible Messages
In a 1987 study, the goal was to find out if subliminal messages had more significant effects than audible messages on test subjects.
The scientists exposed the participants to two types of suggestive statements – the first was hidden by white noise and something that the conscious mind wouldn’t notice or decipher. The second was played at a low volume, and the messages were somewhat audible to the subjects.
Interestingly, the subjects had stronger physiological responses when they listened to the white noise with the undetectable prompts than they did when they could hear them. The researchers concluded that messages that we can’t consciously hear can still penetrate our minds and produce a physiological effect on our actions or behaviors.
Subliminal Messages Effect on Self-Esteem
The last study that we’ll highlight in this article examines how subliminal positive affirmations may affect self-esteem that could lead to improvements in life – in this case, for students in math class.
In this example, scientists used 10th-grade students at a Hebrew school and broke them into three groups. All were exposed to subliminal statements, but the comments varied. They were:
- Mommy and I are one
- My teacher and I are one
- People walking in the street
The team hypothesized that the first two statements could work as positive affirmations while the third was intended to be a neutral statement and to serve as the control group.
All of the participants received subliminal messages four times weekly for six weeks. At the conclusion of the study, the students were given a math exam, and researchers found that those who received the “mommy and I are one” message tested better and received higher scores than the other two groups.
From this, psychologists concluded that the group that performed best might have boosted self-esteem from the message, which could have helped them learn the material more easily.
In addition to this interesting finding, there was another piece of evidence to support further the fact that subliminal messaging can be more effective than affirmations at a conscious level. When the students were told what was happening, and the messaging was revealed, the effect failed.
This is one reason why many silent subliminals will only give you the context of what the recording contains and not the entire script. That way, your brain can’t pro-actively dismiss the positive notions that you’re trying to program at a conscious level.
How Do I Know a Silent Subliminal Is Real?
Since listening to a silent subliminal can often sound like you’re listening to nothing, it’s essential to make sure that you’re purchasing yours from a reputable source. That way, you won’t need to worry that you’ve been fooled.
If you want more reassurance, there are three ways that you can test your recording to make sure it’s legitimate.
Test Silent Subliminals on Your Dog
If you have a dog, you can try playing the recording for your pet to see if they respond. It’s well known that dogs can hear frequencies that humans can’t, and silent subliminals are recorded at a vibration level that their sensitive ears can pick up.
Note that not every dog will respond, but if yours wags its tail, starts barking, or acts as if a stranger is in the room, it’s a good indication that the recording is legitimate.
Test Silent Subliminals By Turning Up the Volume
Sometimes, you will be able to hear something on a silent track if you try first thing in the morning when your hearing is fresh. Try turning the volume up very loud and listen carefully. If you hear something that sounds like a high-pitch frequency or strange noises, then you know you hear the voice.
You likely won’t be able to tell what it’s saying, and that’s good. Remember, subliminal messaging is more effective when your conscious mind doesn’t guard against it or try to overcome it.
Test Silent Subliminals with an Audio Editing Program
If you have an audio editing program on your phone or computer, then you should be able to see the sound waves in the file. Open it in the program and zoom in to view the frequencies that indicate there is a voice buried within the recording.
Frequently Asked Questions About Silent Subliminals
Now that you know the essential facts about subliminal messages, how they work, and their potential to be productive, let’s answer some of the most commonly asked questions about them to help you reap the benefits.
Do Silent Subliminal Messages Work for the Deaf?
There are studies that examine how those with hearing impairments respond to subliminal recordings, and the results help to prove further the theory that you don’t need to hear the message to benefit from it.
In one example, a group of deaf participants was able to reap the benefits of affirmations at a subconscious frequency, despite their inability to hear standard recordings.
Is It Okay to Play a Silent Subliminal in a Public Place?
One of the most significant advantages of silent subliminal messages is that you don’t need to concentrate on the recording to get the benefits. Unlike meditation or hypnosis, where you need a quiet environment where you can get yourself centered and focused and listen to the message, subconscious messaging can work anywhere, anytime.
You can play your tracks anywhere you go. You could sync it to your car and play through the speakers during your commute, or use headphones to listen to it on a train, at work, during your workout, or while you’re sleeping at night.
When you listen to your personal subliminal, it’s critical to be respectful of those around you. Though it’s unlikely you’ll cause damage to bystanders or force them to do something against their will, you shouldn’t listen to the recording while others are nearby and might hear it.
Just like the government doesn’t allow advertisers or political candidates to distribute messages to you without your knowledge, it’s vital that you don’t do that to those around you.
Is it Legal to Listen to Subliminal Messages?
Although there are rules and regulations around subliminals, they are entirely legal and safe to use for personal improvement purposes. For example, listening to an empowering and uplifting recording designed to help you recognize your worth and find your soulmate is an excellent and legal way to use this method.
However, if you were to try to make someone fall in love with you through a recording without their knowledge, then that would be unethical and questionably legal.
In advertising, it’s acceptable to use supraliminal messaging to showcase products or services in a way that’s perceptible to your conscious mind. For a great example, look to late-night commercials during your favorite programs. Advertisers often layer repetitive messaging for delicious fast food in these hours and match it with music and dialog that could cause you to crave it, even if you’re not hungry.
That’s an acceptable practice. However, if they were also to add a subliminal voice whispering, “you need a grilled stuffed burrito right now” under the commercial vocal track, then they would be breaking the law.
In summary, stick with subliminals to influence your own thoughts and behaviors and not those of others, and you’re covered from a legal standpoint.
Can I Find Love with Subliminals?
When you reshape your thoughts and actions and raise your vibe on a subconscious level, many pieces of your life can begin to change or seemingly fall into place. It’s possible that subliminal messages could help you recognize things that you might otherwise miss, like signals that someone is the perfect match for you.
If you’re searching for your soul mate, listening to a subliminal that opens your mind, helps you to recognize attraction vibes, and keeps you chemically balanced for compatibility could help. Physical attraction is a chemical and neurological response in your brain. If you’re subconsciously programming yourself to be more open to opportunities, then you might have a stronger response.
Ways to Get the Most Out of Silent Subliminals
If you’re a believer and want to start using silent subliminals to improve your life, there are a few tips and tricks you can implement to get the best possible outcome. Here are four easy steps to take throughout your journey.
Start By Setting a Goal
Subliminal messages are most effective when your conscious mind is primed and receptive to change. To help with that process, start by making the decision that you’re ready to achieve your goals and to transform this part of your life.
Write down your goal and why it’s important to you. Make sure it’s prominent and defined so that your conscious mind absorbs your desire and understands why and how achieving it will change your life. Be specific in the overarching theme of what you want, but don’t focus too much on the “how” or the details.
For example, your goal could be to become debt-free or to lose weight, and you could journal about why this is important and things in your life that will change as a result of achieving these goals. Avoid saying that you want to make $100,000 this year, or you want to lose 50 pounds because those details could potentially roadblock the behavior-changing suggestions from the subliminal messages.
Focus on the big picture and trust that your focus will allow your behaviors to change and those goals to fall into place.
Focus On Only One Goal at a Time
Subliminal recordings can produce dramatic results, and it might be tempting to try to transform every part of your life at the same time. Unfortunately, your brain can only process so many messages at once. If you decide to focus on more than one goal simultaneously, you may not get good results.
If you have more than one goal that you need to change your behavior to achieve, write them down and prioritize, which is the most important. Begin with your top priority, and once that’s accomplished, work down the list from there.
That way, both your conscious and subconscious mind know what you’re trying to achieve, and can devote all of your energy to manifesting that change.
Repetition is Important
In all of the clinical studies above, researchers exposed the participants to the subliminal messages daily for a duration of several weeks to see results. In your life, you’ll need to do the same.
At a minimum, you’ll likely listen to the recording daily for at least four weeks to start to see changes appear. Some people report that after as little as two weeks, their behavior and thought patterns began to evolve, and others said it took several months before they fully manifested their goals.
If you’re trying to overcome limiting beliefs or heal from traumatic experiences, it could take longer for your brain to build new neural pathways to reinforce new thought patterns. Be patient and consistent to see results.
Don’t Set Expectations
One reason why some people fail to see positive changes is that they begin to stress out when things don’t start improving right away. Stress can negatively impact many areas of your life, and it may make it more difficult for your subconscious mind to absorb new, positive thoughts.
Rather than worrying if you don’t see immediate results, instead, focus on enjoying the process. Try not to overthink about the outcome, and instead focus on how your thoughts, actions, and behaviors change day-to-day. Internalize these changes and reinforce them by staying positive along the way.
You may wake up one day surprised to realize you’re much closer to your goals than you thought because of all of the tiny improvements you’ve made without even realizing it.
Let’s Get Started
Now that you know everything you need to experience the powerful positive impact of silent subliminals, it’s time to get started. Pick a recording theme from a reputable company and start listening to it daily. Remember, set your goals and stay consistent with the habit, and give yourself time to start seeing results.
No matter what behavior you want to change in your life, you can harness the power of this technique to help you on your journey. Be prepared to manifest your goals and experience positive outcomes along the way.