Do binaural beats work?

As someone who speaks with customers daily, this is a question I frequently receive. Usually, it's asked with a tone of desperation sprinkled with a bit of skepticism. You know, the kind that comes from someone who has spent countless nights staring at their ceiling at 3 am because they cannot sleep. After trying guided meditations and relaxation podcasts, they want to know if binaural beats actually work.

Binaural beats is the idea that playing two slightly different frequencies in each ear nudges your brain into a slower, more relaxed state. Many people hear that and think all they need is a binaural beat track and some speakers and voilà, they'll be peacefully sleeping this very evening. If you're looking for a magic pill that rewires your brain overnight, you'll be disappointed. For binaural beats to work, the focus shouldn't just be on the audio, but also the environment.

I remember speaking with a customer last month who was exhausted. She had been using binaural beats tracks on her phone and listening with earbuds. She told me, though, that she constantly woke up because her earbuds slipped out when she turned in her sleep. She would wake up in pain with them pressed against her cheek. She loved the binaural beats, but the physical annoyance kept her stuck in "alert mode."

We intentionally designed SleepPhones® headphones for comfort. You can have the most scientifically perfect frequency in the world, but if a hard piece of plastic digs into your ear, your brain won't relax and drift off. We've put flat, padded speakers inside a soft, breathable headband, so nothing pokes your ears or head. Instead, the speakers gently rest over your ears. They feel like getting a gentle hug from a cloud. Binaural beats work best when you actually forget you're wearing anything at all and can just disappear into the sound.

Find more answers on our "Frequently Asked Questions" page.