The Human Antenna: A Novel Theory on Sleep Direction
- Insomniax
- Apr 22
- 32 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Sleep, Sun, and the Schumann Resonance — A novel theory by Secundus
Do Humans Charge Themselves at Night—By Plugging Into the Earth?
Your Brain and the Earth Pulse at the Same Frequency — Coincidence or Connection?
Below you will find a substantial yet incomplete essay. It details my own novel theory that spans the subjects of planetary alignment during sleep, atmospheric resonance (the Schumann Resonance), epigenetics, evolution, and human consciousness. The proposed hypothesis blends together cutting-edge science, ancient beliefs, and human biology, among other branches of science and technology. It offers a fascinating and bold line of inquiry into how the very resonance of the planet has the capacity to affect us on a daily, or nightly, basis—and even affect our DNA.
In this essay, we explore questions like...
Does the direction you sleep tune your mind and body to the Earth’s natural resonance?
Are dreaming and healing at night supported by the brain synchronising with Earth’s atmosphere?
Could the Earth’s Heartbeat be imprinted in your DNA?
Copyright © Secundus 2025. All rights reserved.
Published: 12 November 2025
[This PDF may be freely downloaded and shared for non-commercial purposes, provided it remains unmodified and properly attributed to the author.]
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Author Disclaimer:
This essay is written in my own style, in my own way. I’m not a scientist, nor have I done any formal research. The following piece was written based on personal speculation and constructed with high efficiency, leaning heavily on AI to research, explore, and co-write much of this theory. It’s currently just a first draft, speculating on a number of matters that vary in plausibility and depth of research. It has not been assessed by independent experts, and even my own editing processes have been rushed. I consider this document unfinished and incomplete, but I thought I’d let it fly as it is and see what happens. This theory should be considered for entertainment purposes only, stimulating thought, rather than trying to prove anything absolutely. It’s been a slightly freestyle piece that expanded verbosely on a simple investigation, entertaining a smattering of thoughts and possibilities without strict limitations or being overly concerned about complete certainty—more about what could be in possibility. I welcome critique, adjustments, and even efforts to debunk these theories—what doesn’t kill it makes it stronger. I expect to produce a more complete version later. Thank you for reading.
Abstract
Across the millennia, around the globe, it’s been believed that sleeping with your head pointed a particular direction improves health, dreams, and quality of sleep, while pointing inversely can have the opposite effect. If this phenomenon is true, it holds fascinating implications for our understanding of both the planet and the human form.
In this essay, a framework is proposed about the nature of the Earth’s resonant field and its relationship with the human body, mind, and even genetics.
As our body slows and dims its energy during sleep, a biological entrainment with the Earth’s vibrational field is considered likely, which may have great implications—not only for health and healing, but also human consciousness, interconnectedness, evolution, and phenomena we have not yet explored.
Extrapolating on this connection, we explore the possibility that our environment is characterised by sophisticated vibratory mechanisms that affect our gene expression and resulting behaviour and personality, as well as the collective evolution of life on Earth. With the Earth-ionosphere cavity acting as a malleable resonant container, it is proposed that this resonant matrix is affected in semi-predictable patterns that may explain or correlate with astrological models.
Hypothesis:
We propose: The human form acts like an antenna, tuning into a universal ambient, living frequency we refer to as the Schumann resonance. Especially during sleep and certain meditative states, there are potential benefits and uses for aligning directionally with certain cardinal points.
With the resonant field affected by local celestial bodies and nearby systems (e.g. the Sun and Moon), it’s considered possible, if not likely, that the character of the unique places and times within the resonant field affect human thinking, behaviour, physiology, and even epigenetic changes.
Sleep is believed to include a component of entrainment with the Earth’s natural resonance as a primary function, likely using it as a source of energy and information. Considering the Schumann resonance, which resonates in a malleable atmospheric cavity, we propose that the body’s alignment with the strongest sources of the resonance permit a ‘surfer’ effect, where the body and brain are able to synchronise with the planet’s mechanical and electromagnetic resonances, offloading energy demand to support the cleaning and restoration processes undergone during sleep.
With effects on sleep quality, sleep restoration, and consciousness, we propose there is significant potential benefit to keeping the head and heart aligned with relative geographic locations during sleep—much like an antenna with the source of a signal.
Synchronising with internal production of certain neurotransmitters, it’s proposed additionally that sleep time is used for epigenetic remodelling and ‘updating’, potentially making use of information received from a source that is often referred to as planetary consciousness.
Introduction
It was in writing a book about sleep that the possibility presented itself to me—that there is an optimal direction to orient ourselves when we sleep. That is, when you’re lying in bed, whether you should point your feet or head to one of the cardinal compass points.
For some people, this might seems quite a banal subject of investigation. Does direction of sleep really make a difference? And if it does, so what?
One could be forgiven for giving such conversations a pass. But when I came across this question of which direction is best, with just a few explorative steps while writing a small section for book, my own curiosity here quickly developed into a complex and fascinating theory.
Sleep direction isn’t a new conversation, although it is an unfinished one. The science shows only a handful of studies, with curious albeit limited findings. It’s ancient cultures that seem to have the most to say about it—where our biggest lead comes not from science, but from peoples around the world practising this form of sleep wellness, having strong-held beliefs that curiously aligned with each other.
These conversations, as they came to me, seemed to revolve around a human compass concept—the idea that Earth, our home, has a magnetic north, and that its subtle pull felt all over the world has the ability to pull our iron-rich blood to one end of our body as we’re lying down.
It's been theorised that, if this effect of physics pulls our magnetised blood to our head, it can disrupt our sleep, expectedly through a slight increase in pressure and blood-accentuated activity. However, while I do believe in an effect on the human brain from sleep direction, I do not believe this is the cause.
According to these ancient beliefs, restless sleep and nightmares were sure to find you if you had your head pointing west or north. But wait, why should pointing west be worse than pointing east if the effect is ferromagnetism? Something doesn’t quite make sense here…
Now you could say here, what evidence is belief? That’s not scientific. And you’d mostly be right, except when these “beliefs” span thousands of years, cross borders, and have generations of testimonies. In this case, I am giving them the benefit of the doubt so we can explore a possibility that is not yet written in the literature.
In comparing the east with the west for sleep, I believed this yin-yang difference of effect to be incongruent with the magnetism explanation. This simple explanation just didn’t seem to sit with me. I wasn’t convinced this was the whole truth—if the truth at all. There was surely more to this picture.
If we look to science, very little effort has been put into distinguishing if there is an optimal direction for sleep and what any effects might be on the human body. But quite possibly, this is something of huge importance to health. If this indeed has a significant effect on the human body, health, or consciousness, entire industries and even civilisations could be shifted just by knowing which way to lie down.
Perhaps this is a dramatic view, such a revolution. But even a subtle biological effect has significant implications, especially when explored to its fullest extent.
If we blend atmospheric physics and chronobiology into a theory, we may speculate on how our vibrational electromagnetic environment can be affected by gravitational and geomagnetic activity. As the sun rises, the atmosphere (specifically the Earth-ionospheric cavity) and its vibrational qualities get manipulated. This invisible tide that we live inside has the plausible theoretical capacity to affect us subconsciously. Our circadian systems are somewhat sensitive to weak electromagnetic fields—notably the pineal gland and melatonin cycle. Environmental stressors like electromagnetic variation, pressure changes, or solar radiation could theoretically nudge the HPA axis into increased alertness or stress reactivity. Could this be what’s making or breaking a good night of sleep?
It is known that geomagnetic storms and solar activity can have impacts on sleep disruption, heart rate variability, mood and behavioural changes, and melatonin suppression in animals—possibly humans. Theoretically, we could propose other nuanced biophysical effects: ion cyclotron resonance (helical ion pathing under the effects of a magnetic field) affecting calcium channels; piezoelectricity in tissues responding to geomagnetic shifts; and biophoton coherence disruption from EM field noise. Indeed, studies are already confirming that ELFs can affect calcium channels in the human brain.[i]
But if our brains in the theta-wave state produce their own electromagnetic field, a correspondence in vibrational state does not entirely explain why it would be necessary to have our heads pointing toward the origins of this resonance, rather than our feet…
Before we get into it, I would quickly like to give a shout-out to Brathikan Vijayamohan Mankayarkarasi, in whose paper ‘Geo-Somatic Resonance Theory: A Vibrational Framework for Sleep as Planetary Entrainment’[ii] is proposed effectively the same hypothesis. Discovering his work (published June this year) toward the end of writing this paper, it’s promising to see that the same or similar conclusions can be arrived at—especially curious given this subject contains ideas around shared consciousness.
Because he explains it so beautifully, I thought I would include Mankayarkarasi’s abstract and hypothesis for you:
Sleep is traditionally studied through neurochemical, evolutionary, and behavioral frameworks, often focusing on circadian rhythms and energy conservation. However, these models fail to address a deeper biophysical question: why does sleep universally require stillness, a prone posture, and disconnection from conscious control? This paper proposes a novel hypothesis — that sleep is not merely a biological cycle, but a state of vibrational entrainment between the human body and the Earth’s natural frequencies. Through this resonance, the body undergoes energetic restoration, vibrational recalibration, and passive realignment of internal systems. The theory frames life itself as a continuous act of internal vibration modulated by environmental fields. This foundational model of sleep may offer a new lens on aging, death, health, and consciousness.
…
Sleep is a vibrationally entrained state where the human body reduces autonomous activity to synchronize with the Earth’s electromagnetic and mechanical background vibrations, thereby achieving physiological and systemic restoration. The Earth’s vibration provides the minimal energetic support needed to sustain the body’s dynamic functions at rest — much like a passenger boarding a bus, letting external motion carry them forward. This entrainment allows internal effort to reduce dramatically while the system continues moving through the supportive rhythm of the Earth’s field.
I now plan to continue this discussion, all too verbosely dragging you through a sea of information and ideas that seek to explore the bigger picture. With the primary idea of sleep being an energy-saving protocol during our daily reparations, an intimate understanding of the Earth’s electromagnetic landscape and a deeper dive on precisely how it affects us I feel is warranted.
A character to the Earth’s vibrational qualities is proposed that is dependent on time and place, which has affected us on a genetic level evolutionarily. This may have additional implications for foetal and childhood development, affecting early-life epigenetic changes that may explain astrological correlations between personality and time of birth.
We will examine the qualities of the vibrational matrix in which we live but cannot see. We will explore the interactions between an invisible energy field and the neurons in our head. And, we will consider the body’s evolutionary strategy to make use of the peace of night to maximise coherence with the planet at large.
Buckle up.
The History of Sleep Direction
The vast and numerous dynasties of China and India have largely been in agreement with the nuance of sleep direction. To the south or east: good. To the north or west: bad.
Toward the rising sun, yes, but away from the magnetic north.
Other countries and cultures throw in a smattering of similar practices. The Romans would often align tombs and beds east-west. Christian monks would often point themselves toward the rising sun. Germanic and Scandinavian folklore warned against pointing oneself north at night, thought to drain vitality and invite bad dreams. Historically, there seems a surprising amount of agreement on such matters, and yet these practices and beliefs seem to have all but disappeared in the modern age.
Considering which of the cardinal points—north, east, south, west—should correspond with the head or feet when we lay ourselves down to rest is not something new, although if there is a significant, measurable impact on human wellbeing, such a consideration has hardly been explored.
Cultures all around the world, with wisdom hailing from different eras, have indicated on their own accord what sleep rules we should abide by. This extends beyond sleep, to the directions our ancestors would pray, bury their dead, and construct their buildings. Detailed most in Vedic and Chinese philosophy, it’s agreed that an eastward-facing head while sleeping is good for vitality, pointing toward the rising sun, while the opposite is said to bestow nightmarish dreams and wakefulness. But is there any truth to this? If there is, it stands in defiance of the original ferromagnetism theory. Could there be a common actor of effect between the north and west as there is between the south and east?
In nature, animals like cattle and deer will naturally align themselves with the north or south, while human babies often turn around in their cots. Studies of the new millennium have found that grazing animals will statistically spend more time in a north-south orientation regardless of wind or sun, while dogs will do the same while they’re defecating—although this alignment disappears when geomagnetic conditions are unstable.[iii],[iv] Migratory animals have electromagnetic quantum hardware in their brains that helps them orient in a particular direction, and we now know that quantum systems also exist in the human body that respond to magnetic influences.
These varied claims from ancient lore, cultural practices, and modern science that certain cardinal directions are better than others for sleep appear on face value to have some alignment. On top of some personal experience corroborating this—including finding during my travels that various hostel and homestay owners will purposefully align their beds with the north or south—it’s not such a farfetched theory that humans and their sleeping patterns should be affected by environmental energies.
Vastu Shastra, an architectural tradition from India, maintains that it’s best to point your head south while sleeping, which is a belief shared by other cultures. It’s thought that this can be rationalised through aligning the body with the Earth’s magnetism, supporting deep sleep and even lengthening lifespan, while pointing north has opposite effects. Pointing east is also considered beneficial in traditions like feng shui, while west is thought to be harmful.
The composite picture I have created, based on the vague assimilation of various clues from different traditions and teachings—including some limited insight from modern science—is that the most beneficial sleep direction is likely dependent on which hemisphere you are in.
The philosophies of all countries and regions listed above—India, China, Rome, Scandinavia, Germanic regions, and different religions—all maintain that one’s head should point south. However, these countries and cultures have largely existed in the northern hemisphere, where south may only be the best direction relative to their location. Could it be possible that these recommendations do not apply unilaterally across the globe? This would surely depend on the mechanism(s) involved. But, seeing as we’re starting to consider there’s a difference between east and west, the original premise of a ‘magnetic north’ explaining the primary effect may not be so robust anymore.
First Takes: What We Know, What We Don’t Know, And What Could Be Possible
Given the science is limited and presumes known mechanisms (taking interest mostly in effects), and since it does not account for what in my opinion are likely to be contributing variables, we can observe this literature without adhering too closely to what it deems to be a conclusion. In lieu of these limitations, it’s my intention in the meantime to propose a theory more around why different directions have different effects—the mechanisms at play, and a fuller account of the situation at large.
Studies so far tell us quite little. They don’t specify details about the location, the times of sleep, the phase of the moon, the weather, or other potentially important factors. If we are indeed orienting ourselves with the planet, then we should be thinking worldwide.
It’s likely that this potentially significant oversight is because those researching simply haven’t known what is causing the effects. Their goal has been to find more foundational information—seeing if there is an effect in the first place before all mechanisms and factors can be explored and accounted for. By a default guess, the mechanisms are attributed to magnetism and therefore don’t warrant much more investigation. This is not a point of blame, but a recognition that science often takes small, cautious steps and narrows its focus to just one piece of the puzzle at a time.
Regardless, lack of concrete information here means that this essay is inherently speculative. In fact, this essay would not exist if we had concrete information that explained everything. For us today, however, we will dare to take bold steps to theorise on the unproven. But what is really true? What is completely up the wrong tree? Hopefully, I will leave you sufficient information to decide for yourself.
It is interesting enough that bodily alignment goes back millennia—through religions, cultures, and folklore of ancient times. But when we begin to consider how the modern science on atmospheric qualities, acoustical physics, and molecular biology may all be playing parts in a grand orchestration that borders on spiritual, we begin to deepen our appreciation for the immense complexity that may have been behind this historical advice all along.
Based partially on gut feeling and speculation from limited evidence (not very scientific, I know), my current hypothesis is that pointing your head relatively towards the equator, or eastward (regardless of location), appears to be the best practice. But why would this be the case?
Given we’re crossing magnetisation off our list, we need to look at what other effects might be causing an alignment or misalignment between person and planet. Our first clue is that, regardless of whether there is a difference between north and south, there is a consistently stated difference between east and west. The most obvious mechanism, therefore, would be logically to do with either the Earth’s rotation or the relative position of the Sun.
While rotation is ever consistent, the relative position of the Sun changes with the time of day. Early in the night, the Sun, after sunset, is technically westward (angles dependent), although for a “standard” sleep routine of around 10pm to 8am, there is a large time bias of the Sun being to our east, given most of our sleep hours technically take place in the am, not the pm.
Simultaneously, there still seems to be some effect from an alignment with the north and south. Some studies simply mention a north-south orientation without finding or specifying a preference between the two. We will explore the science on this soon, but for the initial premise of our speculations, we might consider an effect that could favour either the north or the south while consistently favouring the east. As mentioned, my hypothesis was that the effect may be hemisphere dependent.
Initially, I rationalised this equatorial force as being something to do with the Coriolis effect, rather than a north-set magnetism. This is the ‘water drainage effect’, where the Earth’s spin affects the movement of bodies and currents of water and wind, as well as the trajectories of free-moving objects. You might remember it from seeing water in toilets and basins draining either clockwise or anticlockwise depending on which hemisphere it’s in.
This worldwide Coriolis effect deflects air and water rightward in the Northern Hemisphere and leftward in the Southern. Given these are such massive global effects, one could speculate on human bodies also containing fluids, such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Could pointing one’s head toward the equator or eastward potentially reduce resistance or improve circulation? Some research suggests that gravitational and rotational forces do subtly affect blood distribution, so there might be an impact here.
The vestibular system, or inner ear, relies on gravity for balance and orientation. If Earth's rotation affects balance subtly (like how astronauts in space experience shifts in spatial awareness), sleep orientation could potentially influence neurological relaxation. However, the Coriolis effect is known to affect large-scale systems, and its effects on relatively high-pressure blood circulation are likely to be negligible on their own. Although, over an eight-hour sleep period, small differences can stack up… But while there is a possibility that the Coriolis effect plays a contributory role, we might consider other, more dominant influences.
One proposed theory mentioned earlier is that the iron in our blood is drawn to the magnetic north, and when we lie down, cranial blood flow increases, making us more wakeful. Blood does contain iron, but when it’s bound into its haemoglobin structure it’s not as magnetically reactive. However, magnetism is shown to increase blood viscosity, and coupled with Coriolis forces it may be enough to influence or optimise circulation, especially when we consider that healthy blood has a helical flow, vortexed from the heart, which keeps the blood cells evenly mixed and supports nitric oxide, which in turn can affect electrical signalling. In contrast, if the blood is not vortexing properly, the chaotic, irregular flow of turbulent blood can lead to a number of health issues. Could the support or disruption of this helical motion potentially affect our sleep?
While blood magnetism is unlikely to be the sole culprit, again we can consider that this complexity and even perceived inconsistency between cardinal directions could be attributed to a multivariate equation, where any number of effects from gravity, planetary movement, and magnetism could all be playing games with our fluids and sensitive instrumentation while we’re unconsciously at the mercy of a planet hurtling through space.
It is already well established that animals and humans alike are sensitive to the Earth’s magnetic energies, with magnetoreception famously allowing navigational abilities in birds. Pilots, divers, and astronauts can experience disorientation due to Coriolis forces when moving quickly in different rotational planes. So, if humans have some sensitivity to both magnetic and Coriolis forces, then their combined effect might influence bodily processes like sleep.
This combination would still imply a difference in ‘sleep navigation’ between those in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and could suggest that one hemisphere is slightly yet consistently better for sleep. The Coriolis effect is stronger farther away from the equator, while the Earth’s magnetic energies are also stronger near the poles, especially Magnetic North. I ask: are people sleeping better or worse due to latitude?
Interesting though it is, we will pocket this conversation for now. Let’s sweep through some of the more interesting and relevant studies that could clue us into how the human body and brain are responding to each direction.
A Handful of Studies
There are a few studies we can call upon to lay some literature for the foundation of this conversation.
One of these studies was conducted in Germany (in the northern hemisphere), where only eight young men between the ages of 23 and 27 were analysed for their sleeping patterns, where each night their beds rotated 90° to a different cardinal point. While north-south was considered slightly more optimal, the study did not distinguish any marked beneficial difference between having one’s head pointing north or south.
However, a study from 1985 in India found a north-pointing head to correspond with the Earth’s oscillating magnetic field, with “an accentuation of activity in the East orientation”. Interestingly, the North orientation also showed changes in levels of metabolites of catechol and indole amines—neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin.
This study used twenty young males, ten of which were practised yogis. In a controlled magnetic field (CME) enclosure, the men laid supine—on their backs—elevated two metres above the floor. Measures were taken to insure against interference and bias, splitting brainwaves into separate recordings.
With previous tests on rats, a head pointing north led to an increase in catecholamines (noradrenaline and dopamine) and a decrease in the indole amine level (serotonin and its metabolite 5-HIAA) at exposures to very low frequencies at 0.1 Hz and below, as well as an increase in blood sugar. From my own interpretation, this might be read as a stress response. And when the test was done on humans, similar results emerged. In the words of the researchers: “a considerable and abrupt inhibition of the brain's electrical activity”.
Under these conditions, the brainwaves were veritably nullified, which resulted in the subjects complaining of confusion and restlessness. While the ECG heart readings and breathing remained unchanged, peripheral blood flow (veins and arteries outside the chest and abdomen) decreased substantially. In the rat subjects, cardiac functions and rhythms were disrupted, and they were observed to have an increase in aggression and screeching. In the yoga/meditation group, negative effects were noticeably reduced.
In tests with heads to the east, markers improved. The subjects reported relaxation and mental coherence; peripheral blood flow increased, and there was no rise in blood sugar or cortisol as observed in the north-facing tests.
The metabolites of serotonin and dopamine were measured in test groups’ urine, which would be indicative of their implication in the directional coupling process if there is one. To the north, there was high dopamine, low serotonin, and elevated blood sugar and cortisol. To the east, the biochemical and electrophysiological indices shifted in the opposite direction—low dopamine, high serotonin—suggesting parasympathetic dominance and a calmer subjective state. If these are solid, repeatable findings that apply broadly to the human race on Planet Earth, it shows a noticeable physiological response that, over time, or even instantaneously, could affect health, happiness, and a number of sleep parameters.
It should be noted here that Madras City (Chennai) is considered an equatorial region, only around 10° magnetic inclination, with a total magnetic intensity about 40000 nano-Teslas. If we are considering Coriolis effects, they are weakest at the equator, and may not be strong enough at that latitude to have a measurably significant effect.
In 2019, neuroscientists at Caltech published a striking study[v] showing that the human brain can quietly “notice” changes in the Earth’s magnetic field. Inside a carefully shielded chamber, they rotated a geomagnetic field of the same strength and inclination as the real one outside. What they found was surprising: when the field was turned in a way that mimicked natural conditions in the Northern Hemisphere, the volunteers’ brains showed a sharp dip in alpha brainwave power—a kind of subconscious “wake-up call” signal that usually means the brain has registered something important. But when the field was spun the other way, or flipped to resemble Southern Hemisphere polarity, nothing happened. This shows the response is direction-sensitive, as if our neural circuits can tell north from south.
This suggests that, like a tuned dipole, the body is not only immersed in the Earth’s electromagnetic environment but may also resonate with it in ways we don’t consciously feel. The brain’s electrical networks appear to couple to geomagnetic cues, but only under certain directional alignments—the same way an antenna picks up a signal more strongly when it’s angled just right.
In studies from China[i] and Japan[ii], inaudible artificial Schumann resonance was broadcasted to participants. They found that these would support sleep, reduce blood pressure, and support stress. Other studies have used ELF frequencies (not necessarily at the base Schumann frequency, but within Schumann capabilities) to observe things like improved collagen synthesis, enhanced wound healing, inflammatory responses, and cell migration.[iii] This one is particularly interesting to me, given we’re discovering through the study of cymatics that sound and vibration appear to play a part in movement and physical order. Could this be supporting neural orchestration in the brain?
Lower frequencies were also believed to be able to enhance cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling. This is effectively the readaptation of the ‘scaffolding’ both inside and outside of cells, rebuilding, reorganising, and permitting better functionality for healing and signalling among other activities.
Various anecdotal reports and, from what I can see, wives’ tales, claim even more magnificent benefits, from preventing bone loss to being a staple backing for human life. Without it, it is said, we inevitably fall to confusion, pain, and disease. While some sources are difficult to verify and at times appear to be inflated, they are not so farfetched when we consider what the SR is and how it may be a universal force of order on our planet—a constant, like a metronome, that all life on Earth may ‘tick’ to on some level. For if vibration and frequency are at the foundations of life itself, the SR may itself be a kind of container or reference frame. To not be in harmony, or to be deprived of this ‘synchronisation pressure’, may invite disorder or mutation, such as sickness or disease. We might even wonder if sickness or disease obtained some other way could lead to a desynchronisation. For this, we might speculate on what we’re putting into our bodies, our air, our water, and what signals we’re busy broadcasting that could interfere with this global frequency. Indeed, what are the consequences of denaturing the heartbeat of Mother Earth?
[i] Schumann effects on insomnia: https://www.dovepress.com/the-subjective-and-objective-improvement-of-non-invasive-treatment-of--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NSS
[ii] Schumann effects on blood pressure: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0753332205800034?via%3Dihub
[iii] Benefits of ELFs on the body:
The Human Antenna Hypothesis
Usually, when the importance of sleep direction has been discussed, conversation inevitably connects any north-south orientation with the compass point. Geomagnetism becomes the focus, considering the iron-blooded human a kind of rotational device pulled most strongly to the magnetic north that some say we should defy or resist. And while there very may well be an effect from this, beyond what we know now, I ask what might happen if we instead regard the human form more like a radio antenna.
This theory emerged from the recognition that magnetism alone is a weak justification for the effects reported from various sleep directions. My initial consideration that the Coriolis effect is the primary contributor also fell somewhat flat, given mathematical calculations would suggest an effect several orders of magnitude too small to explain the reported effects on sleep. A simple broad ‘pulling’ or ‘pushing’ effect seemed too clumsy, too easy even for the limited studies to rationally debunk.
In writing my recent book, I learned about the nuanced processes of the brain during each sleep stage. In the non-REM stages 1 through 3, along with the famous REM stage, each stage represents specific functions and operations in the brain and body, which includes a complex orchestration of neurotransmitters, hormones, and regional activations in the brain connected with different brainwaves.
Most notably, I recognised a curious alignment between the theta brainwave of 4–8 Hz and the Schumann resonance of around 7.83 Hz. This goes beyond just some coincidence of number ranges, however, and has a fascinating base in neuropsychology. As it turned out, I’m not the only person to have speculated on this connection—but we’ll explore more on this soon enough.
In our routine sleep cycles of around 90 minutes, with around four to six cycles per night, we transition between these stages a bit like changing gears in a car. This theta brainwave is activated in non-REM stages 1 and 2 as well as during REM sleep. These first two light-sleep stages account for around 50–60% of our overall sleep time, while REM in healthy sleepers accounts for around 20–25%. This means that around 70–85% of our time spent sleeping is associated with this theta brainwave frequency, and can also be active while we’re awake in bed or in meditative states.
So what exactly is happening when we’re in theta?
Neurologically, regions of our brain—most notably the hippocampus and frontal regions—vibrate between 4 and 8 Hertz. Neurons fire in coordinated bursts at this frequency, bridging memory and imagination. Chemically, levels of GABA and serotonin neurotransmitters help to dampen arousal, while acetylcholine—which activates attention and muscles—rises in certain circuits to support vivid imagery and memory processing. Experientially, the theta brainwave can induce a kind of drowsy, relaxed feeling, where time slows and external awareness begins to dim. This state, activated in meditation, puts us in a dreamlike existence, and can tune our mentality to being more open and suggestible—inducing a kind of informationally integrative mode of consciousness.
Curiously, this sleep-dominant brainwave seems to correspond with the base frequency of the Schumann resonance (SR).
This resonance is often referred to as the electromagnetic “heartbeat” of the Earth, which can spike and fluctuate seasonally and even by the hour of day. These spikes and fluxes usually come from major geomagnetic disturbances, solar events, and increases of lightning strike frequency. Yet despite its propensity to fluctuate, it always returns to baseline 7.83 Hz, as its wavelength is determined by the circumference of the planet.
Discovered in 1952 by physicist Winfried Otto Schumann, the resonances (plural) represent a set of natural electromagnetic oscillations that are present worldwide at all times. While the base frequency usually sits around this lower frequency of 7–8 Hz, it also exists in layers or harmonics, where higher sections of the atmosphere resonate at higher frequencies—in intervals of approximately 7 Hz: 7.83 Hz, 14.3 Hz, 20.8 Hz, 27.3 Hz, 33.8 Hz, all the way up to and beyond ~60 Hz—the highest reliably observed harmonic overtone of the SR. While the most notable characteristics and effects of the SR exist in the inner atmosphere, the resonances can be detected thousands of kilometres outside the Earth’s atmospheric boundaries before they fade out beyond detection.
Other cosmic bodies also have their own resonances. We’ve so far detected Schumann-like resonances from the likes of Venus, Mars, and Saturn’s moon Titan. This speaks to a natural character of planetary acoustics—ones that can morph and change depending on both the physical dynamics and energetic ones.
Now before we go too deep into the nerdy-wordy and dive into the full body of physics and explanation behind the Schumann resonance, we might quickly acknowledge that there are fascinating studies now that show regular correspondence between the human brain activity and this planetary resonance, especially during sleep and meditative states.
It’s known that a human brain hooked up to an EEG will correspond with the Schumann resonance for roughly half a second around every thirty seconds. The implications of this are profound, and the implications of a sleeping brain in the theta wave are potentially even more telling. If the brain routinely ‘checks in’ with Earth's electromagnetic field, it might hint at a deeper bioelectromagnetic connection between humans and planetary rhythms. Some theories suggest this could be linked to circadian stability, sleep regulation, and even collective consciousness.
These discoveries have led a few sharp thinkers to conceive of a kind of relationship between the Earth and its inhabitants. Given there seems to be such an acute alignment and even some supporting science of a direct connection, it’s plausible that the planet itself is able to influence our consciousness collectively—even contributing to our collective evolution, as some people believe. Certain experiments such as the ‘National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness’ in 1993 found that transcendental meditation done in groups have had a strongly statistically significant effect on the real world, lowering crime by 23.3%. Statistically speaking, this would have otherwise been considered a miracle (a chance less than 2 in 1 billion), and could stand as evidence of a theta-based entry into the collective planetary consciousness.
The essence of the theory I am proposing, however, is that this resonance is harnessed most during our sleep hours, using this correspondence or coupling as part of our repairing, cleansing, and memory consolidation—especially within the brain. From a point of speculation, it could be possible that ‘surfing’ these environmental frequencies through a synchronisation process could offload energy demand, allowing the brain to undergo more efficient maintenance cycles or reap other unexplored benefits. Making practical use of these “carrier frequencies” could be coupled with an informational ‘tuning’ function—uploading, downloading, or processing information.
While sleep represents the most efficient time for repairs and cleaning, it appears that the brain is the main priority during sleep. Any other part of our body can rest while we’re awake, but the conscious brain needs to be ‘switched off’ for it to be cleaned and repaired effectively. The brain is highly metabolic, generating waste at a faster rate than the body, requiring a dedicated detox system. The body can perform some repair while awake, but the brain needs sleep to do its deep cleaning.
The glymphatic system (a waste-clearing system in the brain) is 10 times more active during sleep than when awake. It flushes out toxic by-products like beta-amyloid (linked to Alzheimer's) and tau proteins through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Deep sleep is when this cleansing is most efficient, which happens in NREM stages 3 and 4, also known as slow-wave sleep. My initial theory was that the deep cleaning would take place during theta brainwaves, although NREM 3 and 4 are primarily in delta activity (0.5–4 Hz), which is also linked with memory consolidation and physical restoration. The reason why I considered this down-for-maintenance time to happen in theta was because I considered that the brain could effectively be ‘riding’ the Schumann resonance and even mechanical waves and vibrations from the Earth to effectively allow the rest of the brain to shut off, saving energy or recharging through synchronised activity.
Each sleep stage represents a distinct mixture of brainwave frequencies, using a specific recipe of neural rhythms to support specific functions. Different parts of the brain are considered most responsible for particular frequencies, working together orchestrally to tune itself for specific kinds of functionality. Given the atmosphere is itself a composition of different frequencies and electromagnetic influences, we might wonder how our brains have evolved to make practical use of them.
Brainwaves don’t have a single physical origin point in the brain; rather, they emerge from the synchronised electrical activity of neurons. However, different types of brainwaves tend to originate or be most prominent in specific brain regions:
· Delta waves (0.5–4 Hz): Often associated with deep sleep, these waves primarily arise from the thalamus and cerebral cortex.
· Theta waves (4–8 Hz): Common in deep relaxation, meditation, and early sleep stages, they are generated largely in the hippocampus and midbrain.
· Alpha waves (8–14 Hz): These waves, linked to a calm, alert state, often originate in the occipital lobe (back of the brain) and travel forward.
· Beta waves (14–30 Hz): Associated with active thinking and problem-solving, beta waves tend to dominate the frontal lobe.
· Gamma waves (30–100 Hz): Linked to high-level cognition, consciousness, and perception, they involve widespread neural synchronisation across multiple regions.
In REM, which is considered the primary dreaming stage, we sometimes question where our strange, profound dreams come. It would appear with theta’s activation of the visual cortex, we could be integrating information into our conscious and subconscious brains by tuning into the SR. And if theta provides the paint, the visual cortex is the canvas. Indeed, could dreams sometimes channel information from a universal field?
In alignment with these planetary influences, we may have even more to gain in both our waking and sleeping lives, possibly including a piezoelectrical stimulation factor within our cellular structure, while misalignment may lead to less efficient sleep or even aggravations or dysfunctions in our physiology. This explanation seems to match with what is taught in Eastern tradition. However, there’s still a lot of enigma in the brain’s functions, especially when we enter conversations on dreams and the energetic relationship between the individual and the planet.
Some hypotheses propose that ELF (extremely low frequency) electromagnetic fields could influence ion transport in cells (important for nerve function), affect melatonin production (which regulates sleep and immune function), and play a role in electrochemical communication in the brain, although this remains debated. While research is limited, some studies suggest that these fluctuations correlate with mood changes, heart rate variability, and cognitive function.
K-complexes are part of this—which are spontaneous, high-amplitude brain waves primarily seen in non-REM Stage 2 sleep. Yet these also happen while we’re awake, especially in relaxed or meditative states. K-complexes are deeply entangled with the theta brainwave—which of course corresponds with the Schumann resonance—but they can also be triggered by external stimuli like sudden noises. Key neurotransmitters like GABA and glutamate are linked to K-complexes, helping to ‘change gear’ from one sleep stage to the next, as well as playing a part in memory consolidation and synaptic plasticity. This could mean that the entrainment or phase coupling (synchronisation) with the Schumann resonance could mean that the Earth itself plays a part in our individual consciousness.
For me, Rupert Sheldrake’s theory on morphic resonance comes to mind, where it’s suggested that our memory and cognitive processes are not isolated to what’s inside our skulls, but we are tapping into an aetheric information field. If true, the mechanisms for this would largely be vibrational, as we already understand electromagnetic waves to be the carriers of vast amounts of information.
A rudimentary theory I explore in my upcoming book Quantum Human is the idea that the physical structure of neuronal groups—and even structures within cells—could be creating a special kind of geometry whose tiny electromagnetic field could be resonating at a very particular frequency. In this, both the body as a whole and the parts within it could be acting like a holonic antenna system, connecting with fields that are not limited to the confines of the human body.
While we could only speculate on the planet’s role in this, there’s a growing body of support for the hypothesis that planets and stars are not just dead celestial rocks, but vastly complex living entities whose consciousness permeates those within its ecosystem. A question that’s sometimes asked is, is Mother Earth conscious? And if so, what does that make the Schumann resonance?
Even if we see our solar system as a lucky swirl of dead rocks floating in space, we can at least acknowledge that they each have a colossal gravitational imprint. If we are considering massive planetary effects on vibrational fields, we could logically deduce that if the vibrational field affects us, the gravity that manipulates the field could also have an effect on us. And if we extrapolate to include the possibilities of quantum coherence and resonance achieved through vibrational synchrony, is it even possible for us to have a direct personal link with the celestial gods of our solar system?
This could easily go deeper into conversations on quantum mechanics, even exploring the mechanics of psi phenomena as detailed in Dean Radin’s book Entangled Minds. The phenomenon called presentiment represents a form of precognition (telepathic foresight), where the human brain and autonomic nervous system are proven to respond to future events before they happen. This is not something isolated to specialised psychics, but a phenomenon that inherently belongs to all humans. It seems almost unbelievable to consider, but if the premise of intuitive foresight is indeed true, we might wonder if it’s connected with a greater body of consciousness.
In a broader theory of astrological physics—how vibrational influence of celestial bodies impacts human physiology and even society’s chronological events—our understanding of time itself could be transformed when we consider that the quantum wave function is not independent of measurable, patterned influences from planets and stars. Indeed, if consciousness as a concept extends beyond the boundaries of living entities, the connection between a human and their planet, and between different humans on a planet, could play a part in our physiology, expressed in our autonomic nervous systems.
The truth is, we do not yet know all functions of the human body nor of sleep. Harmonisation of the human brain with the Schumann resonance could involve some kind of uploading or downloading during our sleep hours.
The production of dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in theta states would be a curious addition to discussions on metaphysical realities. Those who speculate that DMT is a chemo-spiritual gateway to other dimensions might also consider that this molecule plays a role in information transmission—perhaps even playing a part in how information is integrated and stored in the brain or body.
A theory I present in my upcoming book Quantum Human looks at serotonin as a social molecule, vital for intuitive communications and brain synchronisation. As DMT interacts with serotonin receptors, any corroboration of this serotonin theory could lead us to a more confident speculation that neural remodelling is influenced by forces and intelligences outside of our physical bodies. As DMT is a serotonergic molecule that can theoretically penetrate our cells’ nuclei and interact with our DNA, production of this molecule during sleep could have implications for epigenetic ‘updating’ over the course of the night. Perhaps saying you’re a new person after a good night’s sleep isn’t such an exaggeration after all…
But what qualifies the human body as an antenna?
Firstly, there are many different kinds of antennae. The fundamental idea behind an antenna is for the physical size and shape to couple with electromagnetic signals that carry both energy and information. When the antenna is pointed the right direction and able to resonate at the same frequency, it ‘couples’ with the signal and is able to transduce (translate) it. The size is important—relative to the signal’s wavelengths themselves—and directionality aligned with the source will help to achieve a cleaner coupling and clearer signal.
And so what evidence have we that the human body can do this?
To enter into this conversation, let’s first consider the properties of an antenna.
The general principle of design is for an antenna to collect or deliver electromagnetic radio signals, converting them from or into electrical signals. Waves of sizes much larger than the physical antenna can be whittled down into a denser energy for reception. The invisible is made visible, the inaudible made audible. Sense and beauty can be deduced from what appear to be simple atmospheric oscillations, broadcasted out or tuned into.
We already know that the human brain switches frequencies for different modes of operation. And as brainwave frequency shifts, the bioelectric field around the body also changes, potentially influencing local coherence or resonance with external fields (e.g. the Schumann resonance).
In Delta and Theta—our lower-frequency states—the body is more inclined toward dominance of the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) nervous system, while Beta and Gamma would be more in favour of the sympathetic (activating) system, making one more alert. Some research suggests that a change in brainwave state can correlate with subtle shifts in biophoton emission from cells, especially in the brain and heart. [i],[ii]
As the brain entrains to a particular frequency, resonant patterns may begin to propagate through the body—especially in fascia, water structures, or microtubules—effectively changing its vibratory ‘signature’. We see that the theta and gamma waves produced in REM tend to couple—the theta providing a kind of timing framework while the gamma bursts punctuate the rhythm, like syllables inside a sentence. In the hippocampus, this coupling is critical for memory encoding and retrieval.
If the very flesh of the human body—that is, anything made of our cells—is receptive to environmental energies, this energy may also carry information, which is then logically transferred to that flesh. This may not necessarily be a coherent signal, but information that could even possibly exist in some kind of ambiguity or superposition until it is translated subjectively through a living medium.
This could even carry the possibility that really any part of the human body is an antenna both within itself (micro) and as part of a larger system (macro). The body may even make use of multiple antennae simultaneously, maximising conductance and transduction of energy and information across a greater band of frequencies. Antennas within antennas—geometry within cells within geometry of cells. Even the ears could be compared to a kind of horn antenna if we squint our eyes and permit some loose speculation.
The human body drawn as a simplified stick figure isn’t too far from the resemblance of a monopole antenna—a long vertical stick with a bulb (head) at the tip. A simple dipole antenna, what most people would have seen on the top of an old television set, is physically straight and rigid as well. However, the invisible bodies of both of these antennae radiate in a toroidal doughnut shape.
If we go deeper, more internally, we find that neurons are already known to fill the role of dipoles, with directional localised fields set at specific orientations. Further down, we see helical DNA structures that could resemble spiral antennae, and even some resemblance between array antennae and the mitochondria powering our cells. While signal transduction is speculated in some circles to be a lesser-known but critical function of our DNA and microcrystal-containing pineal glands, it’s not completely implausible to consider the entirety of the human form a kind of fractal antenna system. If the body’s construction forms a nested fractal design of antennae within antennae, we may have evolved (or been designed by nature) to be able to transduce or respond to multiple signals and wavelengths simultaneously—from the fairly large to the microscopic. If the waves constantly existing around the world have a consistent size and direction, then the physical size, shape, and sleep direction of human beings and their ‘componentry’ could even be a product of invisible energies around the world. However, this is just a speculative consideration.
But if the human body is tuning into different frequencies around the globe, this activation of theta brainwaves and frequential alignment with Schumann resonance warrants further exploration. What exactly is this resonance, what are its directional qualities, and what could it mean to couple with them?
Let’s dive deeper.
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[i] ELF and SR can affect calcium channels in the human brain:
[ii] Brathikan Vijayamohan Mankayarkarasi, ‘Geo-Somatic Resonance Theory: A Vibrational Framework for Sleep as Planetary Entrainment’
[iii] Grazing animals point north-south:
[iv] Dogs are sensitive to the Earth’s magnetic field:
[vi] Biophoton emission changes with daily cycles: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2707605/
[vii] Biophoton emission created through the imaginative process: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030439401200208X
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