Cognitive Performance and Alpha Peak

Complete any Mind, Heart, Body, Breath, and guided biofeedback experiences to receive your cognitive performance and alpha peak data in your post-sessions results. It's compatible for all Muse headbands with a Muse premium subscription.

Cognitive performance refers to the speed, accuracy, and efficiency with which our brain performs tasks that involve thinking, learning, memory, and problem-solving. Regular monitoring with Muse biofeedback sessions can help you identify trends in your cognitive performance over time, allowing you to make proactive lifestyle choices focused on your brain health.

Read on to learn about Cognitive Performance and Alpha Peak!
 

Getting started with cognitive performance and Alpha Peak
How is my cognitive performance measured with Muse?
What are the cognitive performance scores?
How can I see my cognitive performance in the Muse app?
Why don't I see a cognitive performance score in the Muse app?
Why do I have No Reading?
Why does APF require a Premium Subscription?
What research is there on APF?
What if I cancel my subscription?
Can I tell where my alpha peak is in my Brainwave Powerbands?
 

For information on understanding and tracking your cognitive performance score data or integrating cognitive performance into your routine, see our Understanding My Cognitive Performance Score and Improving Your Muse Meditation Scores articles.

 

Getting started with cognitive performance and Alpha Peak

To view your cognitive performance score and Alpha Peak:

1. Download the latest version of the Muse app.

2. Activate a premium subscription on your Muse account.

3. Complete 10 Muse* biofeedback sessions where Alpha Peak is detected to calibrate your baseline.

4. Track your cognitive performance trends in the Health tab.
    

When your baseline is calibrated, you'll receive a new cognitive performance score with each biofeedback session where Alpha Peak is detected.

You can complete any Mind, Heart, Body, Breath, and guided biofeedback experiences with Muse to receive your cognitive performance score and alpha peak data in your post-session results.

* 💡Cognitive performance and alpha peak are compatible with all Muse headbands.

 

How is my cognitive performance measured with Muse?

Cognitive performance refers to the speed, accuracy, and efficiency with which our brain performs tasks that involve thinking, learning, memory, and problem-solving. 

Your cognitive performance is measured by your individual Alpha Peak Frequency (APF).

Alpha waves are a type of brain wave occurring between 8 and 12 Hz (the alpha band). They’re the most prominent oscillations in the human brain, and it's the frequency that most cortical regions in the brain work with. Your APF denotes the speed with which those brain regions are working. The higher the frequency, the faster the brain is processing information.

To determine your APF, the Muse algorithm identifies the frequency in the alpha band that generates the strongest activity in your session. That’s your alpha peak.

To measure your cognitive performance, Muse calibrates your baseline APF over 10 sessions where an APF is detected. Your latest session is then compared against this baseline, with each new session incorporating the latest readings. Your score is always measured against the latest 10 sessions. 

This way, your cognitive performance score remains accurate and personalized to your unique data and is relevant to you.

 

What are the cognitive performance scores?

We categorize cognitive performance scores with four potential scorecards, with each indicating a different level of how you're performing at the moment compared to your baseline.

• Optimal: Indicates that your cognitive performance is at its peak. This level suggests that you’re performing exceptionally well on this day compared to the last 10 days. How will you best use this exceptional brain of yours today?

• Great: You're performing above your average, showing strong cognitive abilities. A good day to tackle a complex task or have a creative session.

• Good: Reflects a solid performance where cognitive functions are stable and effective.

• Fair: Suggests that your cognitive performance is below its potential on this day. A good time to focus on recovery.

When using Muse with friends or family and comparing scores, remember that your score is always compared solely against your own data. Since everyone’s brain and physiology are different, your friend’s cognitive performance score is measured relative to their unique baseline, just as your score is based on your own individual data.

Other scorecards include:

• Calibrating APF: Complete at least 10 biofeedback sessions with Muse to calibrate your Alpha Peak Frequency (APF). As you progress through 10 sessions, you’ll receive a scorecard called Calibrating APF, as well as details on the number of sessions needed before you see the APF results.

• No Reading: Indicates Muse was unable to detect your APF. The “Why do I have No Reading?” section provides further information on why you may have not received a score.
  
   

How can I see my cognitive performance in the Muse app?

Note that you must complete 10 biofeedback sessions to establish your initial Alpha Peak Frequency (APF) baseline before you'll see your Cognitive Performance score.

To view your Cognitive Performance trends:

1. Open the Muse app and sign in to your account.

2. Tap the Health tab on the bottom menu bar.

3. Tap Brain Recharge. 
    

Your average APF is calculated based on the visible data points visible on your trend graph. Swipe left and right to see the average change overtime. Your all time average APF is shown below the trend graph.

To view your Cognitive Performance score with the other results from an individual session:

1. Tap the Me tab, then scroll down and tap Session History.

2. Tap any biofeedback session to view your cognitive performance score for the session.
    

To expand or minimize the Cognitive Performance graph in your session data, tap the ^ arrow icon in the top right corner.
 

💡 Remember to add a journal entry when you complete a biofeedback session with Muse to capture the context of the session. Viewing the data is one thing, but understanding the context of when the data was determined is key.

• Was the day particularly stressful?

• Were you lacking sleep?

• Have you made recent lifestyle changes?
   

By making small, positive changes, you can work towards optimizing your Brain Recovery and overall well-being.

 

Why don't I see a cognitive performance score in the Muse app?

There may be a few reasons why you don’t see a cognitive performance score:

1. You’re on an older version of the Muse app. See the Downloading and Updating the Muse App article for links to update to the latest version. 

2. Your account doesn’t have a Muse Premium subscription. The cognitive performance score is only available to premium subscribers. Make sure you’re signed into your account which has your subscription, or purchase a premium subscription from our website. 

3. You need to complete more sessions to calibrate your baseline. Complete at least 10 biofeedback sessions with Muse to calibrate your Alpha Peak Frequency (APF). As you progress through the 10 sessions, you’ll receive a scorecard called Calibrating APF, as well as the number of sessions still to go before you see the APF results.

4. You received a No Reading score because Muse was unable to detect your APF.
   
    

Why do I have No Reading?

Our brains are constantly generating alpha waves, however, they’re most powerful when our eyes are closed and our brain is in an idling or resting state. 

Alpha waves decrease when we are actively looking at or listening to something. This decrease in alpha readings is called “Event-Related Desynchronization” (ERD). Additionally, when biofeedback sessions are short, there’s naturally more muscle and body or eye movement as we settle into our meditated state. That movement causes signal noise, which makes the APF reading more difficult. 

It's also important to note that you won't always have an APF frequency as a natural occurrence. In circumstances where you have the No Reading score, it could be that the strongest frequency during that session wasn't Alpha. As an example, if you’re feeling drowsy, your theta can peak.
 

Here are a few tips to improve your alpha peak frequency detection:

 

Complete sessions of 5 minutes or longer.

• This gives your eyes and body a good chance to relax and avoid the signal noise, which makes the APF reading more difficult.  
   

Reduce signal noise.

• Keep your eyes gently closed throughout the session.

• Keep physical movements to a minimum. If you naturally tend to fidget, extend your session length to enable better APF detection.
   

Ensure good signal quality.

• Use a damp cloth to apply water to the forehead and ear sensors. A small amount of water can significantly improve the initial sensor quality.

• Make sure the ear sensors touch the tops of your ears, like eyeglasses.

• Make sure there's no hair between the sensors and your skin, especially behind the ears.

• Avoid skin products or make-up while using Muse. They can form a barrier that interferes with the sensors.

• Note: Check your Mind graph at the end of the session, large gaps in the session data would indicate poor signal quality.
   

Practice focused attention. A busy mind makes alpha peaks harder to detect.

• Focus on your breath as it moves in and out. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breathing. This simple exercise helps train your brain to focus and redirect attention when distractions arise.

• Eliminate Distractions: Create a quiet and clutter-free environment when practicing focus. Turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and silence your phone to minimize interruptions.

• Regular meditation trains your brain to sustain attention. Practices like focusing on a mantra, an object, or a body scan improve your ability to concentrate over time.
  
   

What research is there on APF?

Research shows that a higher alpha peak frequency (APF) is linked to better cognitive function, including faster information processing and better memory. Genetics, age, gender, and even the normal variations in the shape of the skull can affect these frequencies. It also correlates with age and is an indicator of how well your brain is functioning and adapting.

To learn more, read our Alpha Peak Frequency blog post, which includes references to several research studies.
 

Why does APF require a premium subscription?

At Muse, we’re constantly developing our models to provide you with better, more accurate data, as well as new metrics like Cognitive Performance. The premium subscription contributes to funding research and development.

Our goal is to provide you with the best tools to empower you in your brain health and well being. By including advanced features like Cognitive Performance within our premium subscription, we can continue to support, sustain, and improve not only our newest innovations, but the entire Muse experience.

 

What if I cancel my subscription?

If you cancel but do not delete your account, all of your Muse biofeedback data will remain securely saved under our privacy policy. Once you reactivate your Muse subscription, your cognitive performance data will immediately be accessible again in the Muse App. 

Even without a subscription, you will still be able to access your other data with Muse, including Brainwave Powerbands, Mind, Heart, Body, Breath, and sleep data.