Frequently Asked Questions

White noise keeps me awake. Is this app for me?

That is who it was built for. About 4 in 10 autistic people find everyday sounds uncomfortably loud, and the National Autistic Society's sleep guide for autistic adults lists white noise among the things that may keep you awake. So nothing here plays by itself: every background sound starts at zero, and pink noise, brown noise and a deep muffled noise sit next to white noise if you want something with fewer high tones. More on white noise →

What if silence works best for me?

Then silence is the right setting. One tap on Silence Only fades every sound out, pauses playback and opens the night light. Your volumes and track stay as they were, so Play later carries on where you stopped. That is the app working as intended, not you using it wrong.

What does Soft sound do?

It turns down everything above about 5 kHz in every sound the app plays. You hear it most on noise: white noise loses its hiss, pink noise and rain become darker and a little quieter. The music has very little that high, so it stays practically the same. It fades in and out over two seconds, even while something is playing, and stays on until you turn it off. You will find it in the menu.

How loud should I play it?

Quieter than seems useful. Keep the phone at least 2 metres (6 feet) from your head and the volume below about 50%. A level that seems quiet in the daytime can be too much at night. More on volume and sensitive hearing →

Can I use headphones?

Yes. Keep the volume low and take them off if they become uncomfortable. Sound at the ear is louder than sound from a phone across the room, so start lower than you would with the speaker.

Does anything in the app talk to me?

No. There is no narration, no guided meditation, no sleep stories and no voice prompts. The only voice you can hear is one you record yourself.

Does the app use binaural beats or 528 Hz?

No. It plays instrumental music and ordinary ambient sound, nothing more exotic than that.

What can I record with My recording?

Any sound you already know and like falling asleep to: the fan in your bedroom, a quiet phrase, your own humming. Open the Sound Mixer and tap the microphone icon next to My recording. A recording must be at least 2 seconds long. It is saved only in the app's private storage on your phone and never uploaded.

Why does the screen go dark?

So the phone is not one more light in the room. By default the screen goes dark 2 minutes after playback starts, and a short notice appears about 20 seconds before. You can change the delay to 1, 2, 5 or 10 minutes, or turn it off, in the menu under Auto Screen Off. If you tap the black screen, it does not go dark again until you start a new session.

Is there a night light?

Yes, if you want one. It starts on a dim red-orange with no blue light in it. No motion stops everything at once, leaving one still colour, and Black Screen turns the display off while the music keeps playing. When the Sleep Timer ends, the light fades out.

How do I stop accidental touches in bed?

Touch Lock in the menu turns the screen black with a lock icon; tap and hold the icon to unlock. Volume Lock blocks the volume buttons, the swipe gesture and the mixer, so the music cannot get louder by accident.

Will the layout change in an update?

No. The main screen and the order of the sound mixer stay the same between versions. Buttons you have learned to find in the dark stay where they are.

Can the music start at the same time every evening?

Only if you set it to. Auto Start in the menu plays a chosen preset or your last session at a set time on the days you pick, with an optional fade-in of up to 10 minutes. It needs the Android permission to schedule exact alarms.

Who composed the music?

All 27 pieces are original compositions created with AI in the style of classical and modern composers, written for sleep. They are instrumental, with no vocals.

Do I need a diagnosis? Does the app ask about it?

No to both. The app never asks for your name, age or diagnosis, and there is no account. If everyday sound gets too much for you at night, you can use it, diagnosed or not.

What data does the app send?

Anonymous usage statistics (Google Analytics for Firebase) and crash reports (Firebase Crashlytics). It does not collect the Advertising ID. Your recordings, playlists and Sleep Log never leave your phone. The privacy policy lists exactly what is sent, and Delete your data explains how to remove it.

Is this a subscription? How much does it cost?

No subscription. The app is free for 7 days with everything unlocked, with no card and no account needed. After that, one purchase of $11.99 keeps everything, including future updates. The purchase stays with your Google account, so the app unlocks again after a reinstall. Refunds follow Google Play's refund policy.

Which devices does it run on?

Android phones and tablets with Android 7.0 or newer. It works fully offline.

Can I set it up for someone I support?

Yes. Sound check and the Custom presets let you prepare a setup together during the day, so in the evening one tap starts it.

Is there a version for autistic children?

Yes: Calm Sleep for Autism, for children roughly 2 to 15, set up by a parent. This app is a separate one for adults, with its own music and its own texts.

Is this a treatment for insomnia or autism?

No. This app is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition. For long-term sleep problems, talk to a doctor and ask about CBT-I, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, which has the strongest evidence. A version adapted together with autistic adults reduced insomnia in a randomised trial. More on that →

Is there research showing that music helps autistic adults sleep?

Not specifically. In adults with insomnia in general, a review of 10 studies found that music improved how well people rated their sleep, while measured sleep showed no clear effect. None of those studies looked at autistic adults. That is why this app promises a calm, predictable sound setup, not better sleep. The research, with sources →