It has been found that we perform up to 15 times more efficiently in this state. We enter this state when we are day dreaming, listening to slow music, or engaging in light meditation. We are still able to think but the thinking is more concentrated and non stress inducing. In fact it has been found that we can learn up to 15 times more quickly be learning in this state. Superlearning techniques use arm chairs and slow Baroque music to allow the student to drift into the alpha state whilst listening and viewing the information to be learned in defined units, about one every 4 seconds.
Alpha allows the body and mind to begin to heal.
It has been used with great success in treating a large variety of physical complaints, including cancer. Ainslie Meares, a well known Melbourne psychiatrist was a pioneer in used such relaxed states to treat disease and pain producing defects. Since then a large number of programs have developed around the idea of inducing and maintaining alpha states. This is the level you pass through in that deep dreamy state between sleep and awareness as you go to and return from sleep. It's that beautiful state when you are not quite conscious, but you're not quite awake either.