Can sound actually balance your brain?
In this episode, Ellis and Dr. Robert Melillo break down the science of sound: high vs. low frequencies, why one ear can stimulate the opposite hemisphere, bone-conduction hacks, and how music choice (yes, even Mozart vs. jazz) can shift mood, focus, anxiety, and reading/rhythm issues. We also share quick at-home tests and everyday listening tweaks you can try safely.

What you’ll learn

• High vs. low frequency sound and which hemisphere they stimulate
• Why listening in your right ear targets the left brain (and vice versa)
• Bone conduction vs. air conduction (and when bone wins)
• Dissonance vs. resonance: turning brain “noise” into flow
• Music types that tend to be more left- or right-brain activating
• Easy daily tweaks: one-ear listening, volume biasing, playlist swaps

Timestamps
00:00 Cold open & dinner debrief (Nashville updates)
02:15 Sound ≈ frequency—how the brain “hears” waves
05:40 High vs. low notes: which side of the brain they hit
08:55 Bone conduction headphones 101 (why they help vertigo/reading)
12:20 Jazz, classical, sad songs & what they say about your wiring
16:45 DIY tests: the one-ear trick, volume bias, tuning forks
21:10 Anxiety triggers (honks, dryers) & the startle/Moro reflex
25:30 Building a smarter playlist for focus or calm
30:10 Quick recap & how to experiment safely

Try these quick experiments

• Run with one earbud in your right ear for focus (left-brain boost).
• Swap to lower-frequency, slower music when you feel overstimulated.
• Test bone-conduction headphones if you struggle with motion/reading rhythm.
• Notice which genres soothe vs. spike your nervous system—keep notes for a week.

Resources mentioned

• Disconnected Kids (chapter on sound & color) – Dr. Robert Melillo
• Brain-balance music concepts & left/right-leaning playlists (Ellis’s notes)