The Hemi-Sync®  series of audio CDs can help children, teens and adults of all ages sleep, relax, concentrate, and energize.  My family has been using these CDs for over 5  years, and after receiving many  requests for advice on how help a child get to sleep and/or return to sleep and improve a child's ability to focus and concentrate, I have decided to offer these CDs.  The Hemi-Sync CDs help by creating regular brainwave pattern within the desired mental state when listened to through stereo headphones or through the speakers of a stereo system.  The CDs we offer are non-verbal and can be used for young children.

How Hemi-Sync CDs Work

Hemi-Sync causes the brain to generate desired brainwaves by using multi-layered patterns of sound frequencies.   When a Hemi-Sync CD is listened to through stereo headphones or speakers:

A sound played in the left ear is heard as a single tone.

A sound played in the right ear is also heard as a single tone.

When played together the brain combines the two separate tones as a vibration called the binaural beat.  

When the brain automatically adjusts the two separate tones to create a binaural beat, this causes the brain to create the desired brainwave patterns and creates more regular brainwaves within the desired mental state.  

Regular brainwave patterns promote optimal mental states for learning, sleep, relaxation and physical activity.   Children within the autism spectrum and with ADD/ADHD tend to be more disorganized neurologically and have less regular brainwave patterns which can interfere with sleep, learning and other mental processes.  The results of Hemi-Sync regulating brainwave patterns may be similar to the results provided by bio-feedback therapies.   

Hemi-Sync CDs

There are different CDs available to help promote mental states of Sleep (Delta brainwaves), Relaxation (Theta brainwaves), Concentration (Alpha brainwaves) and Energy (Beta brainwaves).  The following CDs promote these different brain wave patterns:

Sleep

When a member of our family, including our son, has difficulty sleeping, we use Sleeping through the Rain.  Typically, within 20 minutes of turning on this CD with headphones on a portable CD player, we are out cold!  This CD begins with the soft noises of a thunderstorm in the background and includes soft dreamy music.  We have even loaned this CD to ADD/ADHD teenagers in our neighborhood who were having difficulty sleeping and they have also reported this CD was very helpful putting them to sleep.  

There is another sleep CD,  Super Sleep, which has a "pink" background noise that has a faint swishing sound that reminds some people of the ocean - no music - and is effective even when played at a threshold where the ocean sound is barely audible. 

Relaxation

According to Hemi-Sync, children in the autism spectrum respond well to the Surf CD, which contains sounds of the ocean.  There have been reports of greater calmness and improved eye contact with autistic children in classrooms using this CD.  If you or your child likes classical music, we recommend Masterworks, which contains beautiful music of classical Baroque composers, including Vivaldi.  They are nice to put on at the dinner hour as well, to help everyone unwind after a busy day.

Focus and Concentration

These CDs really seem to help our son concentrate on his homework and get it done in a more timely fashion.  We especially like Einstein's Dream which plays Albert Einstein's favorite music composition - an exquisite classical Mozart concerto for two pianos.  If you prefer more contemporary sounding music,  we recommend Remembrance,  which has a New Age style composition and is liked and has been effective with children within autism spectrum and with ADD/ADHD.  These CDs would also be good to play in a classroom during times of study and test taking.

Energy and Physical Activity

We listen to the Ecstatic CD to increase energy and improve athletic performance.   It is a lively tribal-sounding composition consisting entirely of percussion instruments. 

Ordering Information

If you wish to substitute one title for another in a set, please place your order for the set and then email autismcoach@comcast.com with the title substitution(s) you are requesting. 

Cautions and Disclaimer 

The following information is provided by the manufacturer of the Hemi-sync CDs. While many of Hemi-Sync products contribute to wellness, they are not intended to replace medical diagnosis and treatment. Do not listen to Hemi-Sync® while driving or operating heavy equipment, or with other devices that may influence brain-wave activity. If you have a tendency toward seizures, auditory disorders, or adverse mental condition(s), Do not listen to Hemi-Sync® without first consulting your physician. In the unlikely event that you experience any unusual physical or mental discomfort, immediately discontinue use. Do not reproduce Hemi-Sync® products or use with Dolby® or other noise-reduction systems. Doing so will diminish the effectiveness of the Hemi-Sync® signals. All warranties whether express or implied, including warranties of merchantibility and fitness for a particular purpose are disclaimed. 

Q: Why am I not supposed to listen to Hemi-Sync® in my car?
A: When driving, you should pay attention to the road. It's not advisable to move into other states of consciousness.

Q: Why am I not supposed to listen to Hemi-Sync® if I have a tendency towards seizures?
A: Seizures result from abnormal brainwave activity. Hemi-Sync's influence on brainwave activity might not be beneficial for someone with that tendency.

Q: Is there a problem in making copies of Hemi-Sync® products for friends?
A:Yes. Hemi-Sync® products are copyrighted. You would be breaking federal laws and therefore be liable to prosecution.