Inside Slumber Wave: building a sound mix for sleep

Most people who listen to something to fall asleep end up with a favourite: rain on a window, a fan, distant waves. Slumber Wave started from that observation. Instead of one perfect track, it gives you a library of sounds and a way to layer them.

Layering sounds

The mixer lets you play several sounds at once and set each one's volume. A typical mix might be steady brown noise underneath, light rain on top, and a little thunder far in the background. A live waveform shows what is playing, so you can see when one layer is drowning out the others.

When a mix feels right, save it. Saved mixes and favourite sounds are one tap away the next night.

White, pink and brown noise

These three get asked about the most. They differ in how their energy is spread across frequencies:

• White noise has equal energy at every frequency, which makes it sound bright and hissy.
• Pink noise has less energy in the high frequencies, so it sounds softer, closer to steady rain.
• Brown noise drops off even more, which gives it a deep, rumbling sound.

None of them is the right answer for everyone. Try each one for a few nights and keep what you notice helps you.

Timer and background playback

You can set a timer from five minutes to all night. Playback keeps going when you lock your phone or switch apps, and when the timer ends the sound stops on its own.

No account needed

You can open Slumber Wave and start listening without signing up. An account is only needed if you want your saved mixes to follow you to a new phone or to collect rewards.

Slumber Wave is designed to help you relax and build a bedtime routine. It is not a medical device, and if you have ongoing trouble sleeping, talk to a doctor.