One much older study from 1992 did compare weight loss rates in three groups of women classified as overweight. Many studies have been small, and most haven’t directly measured weight loss. Scientists have done very few rigorous studies on the use of subliminal messages for weight loss specifically. It found that using subliminal cues had no effect on food intake ( 10). However, there is little scientific evidence to support their effectiveness as a weight loss tool.Ī 2018 analysis of studies examined how weight control cues influence food intake. Subliminal weight loss messages may sound like a simple way to lose weight. Depending on your preference, you can find visual or audio programs to use while sleeping, listening to music, or working on other activities. Many types of subliminal weight loss programs are available. Music-based subliminal weight loss programs use instrumental music, binaural tones, or nature sounds to accompany the subliminal weight loss messages. If you want to try using subliminal weight loss messages while listening to music, there are some programs that layer messages beneath music. Some programs specifically instruct users to listen to the audio messages just before going to sleep or while sleeping. Many suggest listening to audio while lying down with your eyes closed, whereas others instruct you to listen while working on other activities. Most programs include specific instructions. The best way to use subliminal messages for weight loss depends on which program you choose. Many use background music or binaural beats to relax the mind and prepare it for the subliminal messages.īinaural beats are an auditory illusion in which two tones, one in each ear, cause the brain to perceive a beat. Some subliminal weight loss programs also use hypnosis, positive affirmations, and guided meditations or other similar practices for focusing the mind. You can find audio tapes, CDs, DVDs, MP3s, digital apps, YouTube videos, and more, all promising weight loss with the help of subliminal messages. These programs come in many shapes and forms.

Some say these programs help people meet their weight loss goals by reprogramming the subconscious brain to replace negative beliefs with positive beliefs. Proponents of subliminal message weight loss programs make many claims about them. Though humans can’t consciously see or hear these messages, they might still influence brain pathways. Subliminal messages are visual and auditory cues delivered at levels below the threshold of human perception. Thus, some people wonder if they can use subliminal messages to influence their brain pathways and encourage weight loss. In short, it appears that subconscious cues may influence various eating behaviors ( 6, 7, 8, 9).

Though both depend on neural pathways in your brain, the hedonic pathway in particular is triggered by things like stress, thoughts, emotions, and things you perceive, like advertising. On the other hand, the hedonic pathway can override the homeostatic pathway and cause hunger, even when your body has ample energy. The homeostatic pathway encourages you to eat when your body doesn’t have the energy it needs to complete its most basic functions. Two main pathways in the brain regulate the intake of food and drinks in humans ( 4, 5). People have tried using subliminal messages to change many kinds of behavior, including to quit smoking, exercise more often, boost self-esteem, and even lose weight. For this reason, subliminal messages have often been used as a simple way to influence people’s thoughts and encourage them to change their behavior. In other words, the human brain might perceive and react to subliminal messages without even realizing it. Though they’re below the threshold of human awareness, they may still stimulate the brain and affect behavior ( 1, 2, 3).

Subliminal messages are stimuli, like sounds or images, that are too faint or quick for most people to consciously perceive.

Define subliminal perception