Isn’t it amazing how the second you want to go to sleep your brain starts racing?
You have sporadic thoughts about the most inane things, your heart starts to beat ten times faster, and you are filled with anxiety. 
It’s pretty much impossible to fall asleep when you’re in this state.
The truth be told, once your brain starts to slow down, and eventually wants to shut down, there’s very little you can do to stay awake.
Think about the number of occasions as a child you were willing yourself to stay awake, but you were so tired it was practically impossible.
You’ve probably experienced the same sensation as an adult. Think of all those times you were at work and started to sense that late afternoon lull. You’re struggling to keep your eyes open, your head’s rolling all over the place, and you literally jerk yourself awake.
So, why-oh-why can’t you reach this same state of tiredness as you get into bed?
Basically, for some unknown reason your mind is highly overactive and you need to find a way to slow it down.
One method that is extremely popular is brain entrainment music, more specifically binaural beats.
But, do binaural beats help sleep?
What Are Binaural Beats?
We have the Prussian physicist and meteorologist, Heinrich Wilhelm Dove to thank for the discovery of binaural beats. Dove discovered the technique in 1839, whereby different levels of sound frequency could be sent to each ear.
However, Dove’s discoveries remained nothing more than theory until the intervention of Dr Gerald Oster, a biophysicist, many years later in 1973. 
In the modern day-and-age binaural beats work by sending different levels of sound frequency to the left ear and the right ear, but the brain will perceive these to be a single frequency or tone.
These beats are used to influence your brainwaves, which in turn can alter the state of your alertness and consciousness.
Binaural beats are used in a wide variety of ways.
Meditators will use them to get themselves into a heightened state of concentration and for the deepest forms of meditation.
Therapists will use binaural beats to treat stress, depression, cognitive behavioral problems, and also often for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
How Does This Help You to Sleep?
The brainwaves will increase when we are in a high state of anxiety and will decrease when we feel relaxed.
If you’re someone who suffers with insomnia, or you have extreme difficulty in falling asleep, you’ll know only too well the pain of becoming mentally active and anxious just as your head hits the pillow.
Therefore, in order to fall asleep, you need the brain to wind down and be in a more relaxed state.
This can be achieved by literally taking the brain down in gears.
There are 5 types of brainwaves, namely Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma.
- Delta is when you are typically in a state of deep sleep and are completely unaware of anything around you. The brainwave frequencies will be approximately 1Hz-4Hz.
- Theta, is often referred to as the dream state, and is also the deepest form of mediation. The frequency of your brainwaves will be between 4Hz-8Hz.
- Alpha is when you are awake, but in a deeply relaxed mood, focused on what’s going on inside your head. Your brainwaves will be 8Hz-14Hz.
- Beta is when you are awake and focused on what’s going on around you in your day-to-day-life. 14Hz-40Hz.
- Gamma brainwaves focus on greater mental activity, such as solving problems, or being stressed or fearful. Your brainwaves will be 40Hz+.
Consequently, if you’re stressed out and anxious before you go to bed you are probably in Gamma state.
Therefore, you need to do something to get the brain initially into Theta state, so you are completely clear of stress, anxiety, and fear. And finally into Delta state so you and your brain are completely asleep.
How Do You Use Binaural Beats Before You Go to Bed?
Using binaural beats to help you fall asleep is as easy as putting on a pair of headphones and pressing play and listening to a recording.
The music you hear will be played at different frequencies into each ear and will help to slow down your brainwaves until they are more conducive to sleep. 
You can use binaural beats in a number of different ways, depending on the type of recording you are listening to, and what you are looking to achieve. You don’t simply have to use binaural beats to make yourself go to sleep that second.
Going to bed and falling asleep isn’t just a one-time thing. This is where many people (especially those who suffer with insomnia) go wrong. They literally expect to go to bed, put their head on the pillow, and hey presto you’re fast asleep.
I’ve spoken in many articles about the importance of having a bedtime routine, which usually starts well before you hit the sack.
You can use binaural beats in exactly the same way.
Perhaps listening to recording that promotes having a calm mind during the day or early evening. Why wait till just before bed? Rid yourself of anxiety and stress well in advance.
You could listen to a recording that specifically focuses on releasing your anxiety around 30-60 minutes before you go to bed.
The Six Steps to Sleep System and Binaural Beats
I have written a review of Peter Litchfield’s Six Steps to Sleep Program, which along with other methods also uses binaural beats to aid sleep and overcome insomnia.
As well as a wealth of information on insomnia and sleeping difficulties, Peter provides 4 separate binaural beats audios with his program.
Each audio is designed to remap the brain in a different way.
Two of the audio recordings focus on calming the mind and reducing anxiety, as I’ve mentioned above.
However, one particular audio will use Delta frequencies to help you drift off with ease. He suggests using this audio either while lying in bed, or up to 30 minutes before you go to sleep.
Another audio focuses on high-Delta frequencies and is aimed at completely clearing the mind so you can enjoy a deep sleep.
The binaural beats audios he provides are completely safe to use, they promote good health and wellbeing, and work extremely fast. You could be fast asleep within a matter of minutes.
To Conclude
Do binaural beats help sleep? 
Yes, they definitely do.
If you have trouble switching off at night, if your brain is extremely hyperactive, then the use of binaural beats are definitely worth a try.
They are extremely easy to use.
It’s a great way to slow down the brainwaves after a hectic day.
You can feel that calming effect within just a few minutes.
The regular use of binaural beats will help to train the brain to slow down in the evening, so that you can be ready to enjoy a peaceful and restful night’s sleep.