Music That Uses Science To Calm YOU And YOUR Child And/Or Induce Sleep? Yes Please!

Mamatomo Mama
Mar 17, 2019
4 min read

Disclaimer: I have not be paid a cent to say any of this. All content is genuinely my own opinion.

The Fascinating Effects Of This Music

This is why I love my blog and, in all honesty, what keeps me doing it even though I have no time in my life and I always have to-do lists the length of my arm! Bryan Wisda is the genius musician who has created this album, titled ADHD Lullaby. The album is available now to download on all streaming platforms; including iTunes, Spotify Amazon and Google. CDs are also available to buy through ADHDlullaby.com

When I heard about the album, I was, of course interested to hear it. I don't personally have any ADHD children at home or in my classroom (as far as I know) and so I did not have any immediate need for ADHD material. However, only after talking with Bryan did I realize the fascinating scientific basis upon which the whole album is written and I was really keen to try it out.

Not Just For ADHD Children

Bryan told me that the album was doing really well since its release and he had received many, many great reports. The interesting thing though, was the number of people who were telling Bryan that adults were using it, and children younger than the target age group were using it. Bryan also said that many people were commenting how it helps them to calm down or to study.

My Personal Experience Using The Music

I have a class of two-year olds in the mornings and some of them struggle to focus. Some won't do crafts and if they do join us it is for seconds before they go off to explore somewhere else. I was interested in seeing the effects of playing this music in the background on the class atmosphere and the children's concentration. The first day we played the music, I set up a quiet scissors-skills table and also a tissue paper tearing and glueing station. I played the music and it took a few minutes for the class to quieten. As the children noticed the crafts, they came over to see what was happening and to get involved. The children who usually enjoyed crafts stayed at the table for the usual amount of time before going off to do something else. The most interesting thing is that the children who usually do not focus on any one activity for any length of time, stood and worked with me for over ten minutes, concentrating like I've never seen before. The classroom atmosphere was most certainly more relaxed than usual. I have played the music in class another two times* and it most definitely has an impact in calming down the children and getting them to focus - and it help us teachers feel calm. Teachers are like parents in that they don't want to admit that it's sometimes very hard to stay calm and patient - but it's true, we do. Of course we do! What a fantastic tool to be able to use in the classroom.

I will most definitely be keeping this in my arsenal of tools that reset the dial in the classroom and at home.

*Music is not something you would want to always have on in the classroom. Most early years practitioners would agree that music should not always be on in a classroom. It should be limited to certain times.

The album and the science behind it

The album has been written aimed at children between the ages of six and 13 years old. The music is set at the same average beats per minute (bpm) of the sleeping heart rate of children within that age group. Interestingly, the album's bpm decreases song by song by 4bpm for much of the album. The most fascinating part about the science behind the music is that the music is created with sine waves that cancel each out. What are sine-waves you ask?

*'sine-waves' seen in the picture above

In the album, the music is written in such a way that the sine-waves, whether they are peaks or troughs, when they are combined, equal zero. The neurological effect of this is that the brain enters its peaceful zone as found in the state of sleep. Finally, the music has a rhythmic element and a non-rhythmic element which do not follow patterns of music that our brain is set to expect. The effect of this is to put a strain on the brain's processing as it attempts to identify a pattern. The purpose of this is to subconsciously force the mind to listen to the music more intently to search for the pattern all the while the embedded frequencies and heart-rate assimilation have an effect on the body's homeostasis, slowing it down to natural sleep levels.

A bit about Bryan

You can find out more about Bryan and his music on the the ADHD Lullaby website where you can also read the testimonials that have been streaming in. Bryan also has an interesting story to tell. Having been injured in the line of duty as a police officer and learning guitar at the suggestion of his wife while recovering from his injuries, Bryan quickly found his passion in music. Bryan's son, Cale, has ADHD and takes medication which helps him immensely but leaves him struggling to sleep. Playing guitar to his son on those long nights, Bryan made his first discoveries:

After noticing Cale would fall asleep faster to random notes (in the same key) I started doing research to understand why this worked. I read countless scientific journals in the fields of Audiology, Music Therapy, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry related to sleep and children with ADHD.

Thus was the beginning of an exciting journey which ended with the release of Bryan's first song, Cale's Lullaby in November 2018.

A new type of music : at least for me!

I have not come across music like this before. I am excited to see what Bryan comes up with next. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to keep up!

If I were to sum up the music in three words, I would say;

calming, soothing and nurturing.

And I would say that it is an immensely valuable tool for teachers, parents and carers alike. Try it and see! Leave a comment to let me know how it worked for you!