Life is busy and exhausting, and we often do not get enough sleep to be able to function properly in our daily life. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that the average person gets between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. We often do not fall into that range because we are too busy or have health problems such as insomnia or chronic pain that keeps us up at night.

I am a night owl and can usually be found crafting, doing homework or reading late at night. I have found this tool that helps me relax and fall into a deeper sleep sooner than I would on my own. This tool is music that is infused with isochronic tones and binaural beats. Both of these are considered to be brain entrainment, which "refers to the brain's electrical response to rhythmic sensory stimulation, such as pulses of sound or light." Here is a infographic that explains how brain entrainment works:

An isochronic tone is considered a "hardcore" version of brain entrainment, while binaural beats are the more "softcore" version. Isochronic tones are considered to be the more effective method of brain entrainment based on empirical research. A working definition is that "an isochronic tone is a single tone that turns on and off in a particular pattern. It is very effective because there is no sound at all during the pauses." Binaural beats "result from the interaction of two different auditory impulses, originating in opposite ears, below 1000 Hz and which differ in frequency between one and 30 Hz." Isochronic tones can be too effective sometimes, which leads to exhaustion, but there are products that use "disguised isochronic tones" by adding music. This is the type of brain entrainment that I use to fall asleep. A few of my favorite videos are featured below:

It can seem out-of-the-box, but using music infused with isochronic tones as you are trying to fall asleep can be quite useful, especially if you have anxiety or medical conditions such as Restless Leg Syndrome. There are a ton of videos out there, and you have to listen to several to find the ones that are right for you. It is a form of meditation, which is something we need in our busy lives. We need time to tune out from our busy lives and just take a few minutes to breathe deeply, relax and spend time alone. I recommend using music with isochronic tones and binaural beats because they have helped me get better sleep at night. I can be more productive and concentrate on my work for longer periods of time because I am sleeping better. Give brain entrainment a try if you are interested, but make sure you check out the warnings so you can use it safely!