Header Logo
About Take the Quiz Services
← Back to all posts

life's waves, neurospicy brains, and the 154 bpm theory

by Hannah Keyes
Dec 22, 2024

Originally published August 18, 2024

 

We are surrounded by patterns. Everywhere.

Tree rings. Cheetah spots. Spider webs. Brick work. Floor tiles. Heartbeats. Circadian rhythms.

Known and unknown.

People dedicate their entire lives to research; trying to find patterns in pretty much every subject known to man.

And it will forever leave me in awe of how much we have figured out - intentionally or unintentionally.

But also, how much more we have to learn and discover.


SCheck list item titled "Integration Insight" next to a checkbox with a checkmark noting it as complete.

The BPM Theory

Have you heard of the ADHD bpm theory? Maybe you've heard it as the 145 or 154 bpm theory?

​Good news, they're all the same theory! Coined and brought to the masses by Natana Mayer. She uses design thinking to create theories to support ADHD and neurospicy folks that she tests with her audience.

​In this theory, she sought out to test a theory about getting the brain unstuck and able to move forward on a task by listening to music at 154 bpm. You can watch this video if you're curious about the ful explanation of her theory and the research studies she combined to create it.

​My first thought when I heard this was, "I've been unknowingly using this trick for YEARS!"​

Maybe you have to?​

The weekend comes around and it's time to do chores.
Or maybe you need to buckle down and focus on a work or school project that you've been avoiding.

You throw on your headphones or turn the speakers up and jam to a playlist of your favorite EDM, lo-fi, or other music.

​If this theory feels like it holds true for you, it becomes an incredible tool in your kit to help you get unstuck and walk away from a day of deep focus and context switching without feeling productive and not at all like a puddle of mush.

Want to try it out for yourself?

 

Try This:

Create your own LIFT playlist

Having a go-to list for lifting your brain out of stuck mode is an amazing resource to always have close-by. This week, your integration insight is to create OR locate a playlist that can be your go-to LIFT.

Subscribe to keep reading this post

Subscribe

Already have an account? Log in

Loading...
something a little different this week...
There's something I've been wrestling with lately, and I'm going to share it with you in real time instead of waiting until I have it all figured out. Like many late-diagnosed neurodivergent and recovering people-pleasers, I've spent much of my life trying to prevent judgment and rejection anymore than it already was happening by masking and accommodating any and everyone around me in order to ...
momentum bridges, toxic waste routines, and the summer expansion guide
There's this moment in every seasonal transition where you can feel your body asking for something different, but your brain hasn't caught up yet. You find yourself resistant to routines that served you beautifully just weeks ago, or suddenly energized by possibilities that felt overwhelming in spring's intensity. I've been sitting with this tension as I've settled into summer's rhythm: How do ...
doing nothing, apple lore, and juggling the three P's
I've been thinking about how we can honor the summer energy that calls us to slow down without guilt or dropping everything we are responsible for. We are (unfortunately?) adults... To enjoy the season without the "I should be taking advantage of these beautiful days" pressure or the "everyone else seems more relaxed" comparison, but genuine permission to let our rhythms shift with the season. ...
© 2025 HANNAH KEYES

Join the waitlist for first access to the Tech for Boundaries Workbook!

Β