It’s useful to think of the Dreampad like a speaker - but one that you put your head on. If you use the included Bluetooth receiver, you can think of the Dreampad or Aurras as a Bluetooth speaker. The music or other sounds you listen to are originating from your phone, other smart device, or music player. When you connect your phone to the Dreampad, you are sending signals to the Dreampad which allow it to play music, just like headphones or speakers.

It’s a unique technology but it’s actually pretty simple to operate. Here are the basic steps: 1.  plug the cable from the Dreampad into the included Bluetooth receiver, or if you prefer a direct connection, plug the Dreampad cable into the included adapter and then plug the adapter into your phone.  If you are using Bluetooth, pair the Bluetooth receiver to your phone. 2. Choose your music or sound source.  You can use the optional Dreampad app (subscription required), or any music or streaming service you like. 3. Play music using your phone. 4. For Bluetooth instructions, see the Easy Set Up page.

The Dreampad is different from traditional speakers in that the music travels from the pillow directly to your body, it doesn’t go out into the airwaves. As a result, only the person using it can hear the music.  The gentle vibrations help to get your body into a relaxation state.

The Dreampad is for all ages, from toddlers to seniors. More specifically, it is helpful for those who experience stress and have difficulty sleeping, including falling asleep and staying asleep. We caution against leaving it in the crib of a child under age one because of SIDS risk.

The Dreampad pillow or Aurras comes with our custom-made Bluetooth receiver, an adapter for direct connection (if you choose not to use Bluetooth), and a 6-foot extension cable. There is no power source or battery within the Dreampad pillow itself.

We are all unique and have different reactions to the Dreampad. Most people acclimate to the Dreampad within a day or two. We suggest you try it for at least a few nights before you judge whether or not it’s for you. Clinicians report positive results with about 80% of their patients in the areas of stress reduction and improved sleep. If it doesn’t work for you, we offer a 30-day risk-free trial so you can return it for a full refund.

The only way to know if it suits you is to try it. We offer a 30-day free trial, so you can return it for a full refund of the purchase price if you don’t like it.

There are two health related caveats around Dreampad usage. We recommend that those prone to motion sickness begin using the Dreampad in short sessions of, say, 5-10 minutes to make sure the vibrational music does not trigger a reaction similar to that of motion sickness. We also caution against leaving the Dreampad in the crib of a child one year or younger because of the risk of SIDS. Children and adults with medical conditions should consult their doctor before using.

The Dreampad device is functionally closer to a speaker than a phone, i.e. it does not emit EMR. However, many people are concerned about radio waves emitted from phones. For those who prefer to be cautious (including us), we suggest putting your phone on Airplane Mode when using it with the Dreampad. In this mode, no radio signals can come in or go out.  If you are using the Dreampad music app, the music will still play. Check your other sources to see if you can play while in Airplane Mode.  The Dreampad Bluetooth receiver/amplifier does emit a tiny amount of EMR (for comparison purposes, think of your cell phone reaching a tower miles away vs. the Bluetooth which has a reach of about 33 feet).  If you are concerned about the EMR from Bluetooth, you can use the extension cord to place the Bluetooth device further away from your bed.

The Dreampad has been used safely with infants; however, we do not recommend using it with children under 12 months of age without adult supervision, and only for short periods of time, e.g. less than 30 minutes. Of course, the Dreampad, like all pillow-type products, should not be left in the crib of a child under 12 months of age because of the risk of suffocation. There is no age restriction for seniors using the product.

The Dreampad operates on the natural principle of ‘bone conduction.’ We all hear ourselves speak in 2 ways – sound waves from our mouth travel through the air and enter our outer ear, and sound vibrations from our voice box travel internally by bone to our inner ear. (This is why your voice sounds different on a recording: you’re not hearing it with the vibrational resonance you get when you speak). The Dreampad transducers replicate that natural sound vibration. As the music travels to your inner ear, it triggers your body’s relaxation response, the parasympathetic nervous system. This results in a calming effect which is conducive to falling asleep and staying asleep.

Yes, we have been fortunate to have many researchers contact us and conduct studies. Most notably, Columbia University completed a peer-reviewed study in 2016 showing the Dreampad’s effectiveness with stress related sleep problems. Other studies include: war veterans with PTSD, children with ADHD, children with autism, and the Dreampad effect compared to music through traditional speakers (hear rate variability study). All studies to date have shown statistical significance.

Yes, it is patent protected under Patent # 8,317,734 B1.

You can use the Dreampad pillows or Aurras as a way to listen to your favorite music, stories, podcasts and sounds in the comfort of your own bed without disturbing others.  

1.  First, decide on your music source:  are you using your phone or another smart device like an iPod?  If so, you can connect by Bluetooth or plug in directly to your device.  

2.  Connect by Bluetooth:  it's easy to pair the Dreampad Circadian Bluetooth receiver to your phone or iPod.

• Go to Bluetooth Settings on your phone
• Turn on the Circadian Bluetooth. Press and hold power button for about one second until blue LED Indicator turns on
• Light will flash until DREAMPAD appears on your phone
• Select DREAMPAD on your phone. Light will turn to solid blue
  
  

3.  Direct connection to phone.  If you choose not to use Bluetooth, you can plug your smart device directly into the Dreampad. Simply plug the cable extending from the Dreampad zippered pocket into your device. Note: Newer iPhone models will need a lightning adapter in order to connect.

4. Decide on your music or sound.  You can use the Dreampad with any music or sound.  We provide an app with a number of songs we have created, recorded or curated - all designed for relaxation and sleep. 

Note that you do not need the Dreampad app to use the Dreampad or Aurras, but it can provide some good content for your sleep.  We have additional recommendations on our music page, or sign up for our newsletter to get updates on suggested sounds each month.  Experiment with the Dreampad or other music options and volume levels to find what’s best for you. Note: side sleepers will use a much lower volume level than back sleepers.

Bluetooth for the Dreampad allows you to connect to the Dreampad or Aurras without plugging your phone directly into the pillow cable.  This can be useful especially if you need to charge your iPhone overnight.  (If you do not want to use Bluetooth, see the FAQ "Can I connect without Bluetooth?".)

The Bluetooth receiver is NOT embedded inside the pillow or Aurras, because many people would like to keep radio frequencies away from their bed.  

- It's easy to pair the Dreampad Bluetooth receiver to your phone or iPod.
- First, make sure the Bluetooth device is fully charged, using the charging cable provided, and any charging block.  
- Then, go to Bluetooth Settings on your phone.
- Turn on the Bluetooth. Press and hold the power button for about one second until the blue LED Indicator turns on.
A light will flash until "Dreampad" appears on your phone.
- Tap "Dreampad" on your phone. The light will turn to solid blue.  The Bluetooth device is now paired to your phone.

A couple of important notes:

- The discovery process may take longer if multiple devices (phones, iPads, etc) are turned on and in discovery mode.  The Bluetooth device can only pair to one phone or iPad at the same time.

- If the name "Dreampad" does not appear, turn off Bluetooth on your phone and turn off the Bluetooth device.  Turn both back on and try again.

- MULTIPLE PHONES OR IPADS: Please note that the Bluetooth device will try to pair automatically to the last smart device (phone or iPad) that it was paired to. If you paired to one phone and then try to pair to a different phone, the Bluetooth device will search for the first phone and will not pair to the second phone. You must first DISCONNECT (or FORGET) the device on the first phone, and then pair to the second phone.

Yes.  If you choose not to use Bluetooth, you can plug your smart device directly into the Dreampad. Simply plug the cable extending from the Dreampad zippered pocket into the adapter included with your purchase.  The adaptor allows you to plug directly into the Dreampad and also charge your phone simultaneously.

We recommend using an appropriate sized pillow case with your Dreampad to keep it clean.

When you begin using the Dreampad, we recommend setting the music sessions at 2 hours or less. After a week or so, you should be acclimated to the vibrational music and you can set the timer for longer periods. In particular, those who tend to wake up during the night like to set the music to play throughout the night to bring them back into a sleep state if they wake up.  Please note:  the Circadian Bluetooth should play all night on a full battery charge, but will need to be recharged the next day.

We have designed the Aurras to do exactly this.  It is a thin panel that can slip under your pillow and the sound will travel through your pillow.  

Some people find it takes several nights to acclimate to the Dreampad. Others love it the first night. It’s all about individual preferences.  If you really prefer your own pillow, try the Aurras, which can easily slip under your pillow and provide the same great sound.

Yes, reading or studying while using Dreampad products is fine and may actually help your focus and attention… unless, of course, you fall asleep.

Yes, either is fine. The volume should be lower when sleeping on your side. The volume control is easy to use (keep in mind that it’s easy to adjust the volume level by simply moving your head slightly toward, or away from, the center of the Dreampad).

As long as you can hear the audio, you will receive the benefits.

The extension cable may be used as an extension to the connection to your smart device if you prefer not to have it close to your pillow. Simply connect the extension cable to the Dreampad and to your Bluetooth receiver, and keep the phone on a night table. This also allows you to keep your phone plugged in and charging while listening during the night.

The Dreampad app is an audio app that provides music, nature sounds and bedtimes stories for children, designed to help with relaxation and sleep.  It is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android.  The app is not required to operate or use the Dreampad pillow or Aurras - it is simply a source of music to listen without interruption (no ads).  The newly updated iOS version (Apple) was released on December 10, 2021, and includes the music selections from the older version, plus new music, nature sounds and children's bedtime stories.  The new Android (Google Play) version will be released in early 2022.

We recommend music with the following characteristics: Ambient, or a-melodic, music is preferred for sleeping because the brain tends to engage in a melody and while it may be relaxing, it’s not ideal for falling asleep. Slow tempo is preferred, maybe around 60 beats per minute.  Low frequency music, such as cello music, helps relax the nervous system and also sound great with the Dreampad and Aurras.  

The Dreampad Sleep app is available by subscription directly through the Apple App Store, or at discounted prices through the Dreampad store (this site).  The Android version has a more limited selection and is currently free; this will be updated and will require a subscription in early 2022. Dreampad music is developed and selected based on the latest sleep research findings, including the core aspects of tempo, frequency, nature sounds and brain wave activity during sleep. However, you can listen to music or other sounds from any source - Apple Music, Spotify (watch out for ads through), YouTube, or any other streaming service or library.

Yes, absolutely. The new Circadian Bluetooth receiver and amplifier, included with any Dreampad pillow purchase, provides a clear and clean voice sound. Find any audio book or podcast that is relaxing for you. Reminder, we recommend sounds that do not have a lot of variation or crescendos, as these tend to wake up the brain. For example, people yelling on a podcast may not be the best for providing a deep, relaxing sleep!

The volume should be set at a comfortable level that allows you to relax and fall asleep. We recommend "whisper" level - this is about 52 decibels.  Using the Dreampad Sleep App, this will be about 10 clicks on an iPhone.  Too loud and you won’t be able to relax, too soft and you will find yourself straining to hear the audio. Experiment with the volume; test it in different sleeping positions. A couple of points to keep in mind:
1) the volume required to hear the audio when lying on your back is typically higher than when sleeping on your side,
2) lie quietly for a minute and you will realize your ability to hear the audio at a low volume improves as you listen.

Most people like to play music for a few hours.  If you are using the Dreampad Sleep App, it has a timer so you can set the music to play as long as you wish. Most other sleep apps also have timers you can set for however long you want.  

There is no restriction on the duration of use, nor any known negative effects from extended use, although we recommend starting with shorter sessions to ensure that you are acclimated to the unique vibrational input (also called ‘bone conducted music’) before listening for longer periods of time.

Yes, the sounds and music should be audible; this is not a subliminal music program. If you can’t hear the audio, a) make sure it’s playing by listening to it without the Dreampad, b) check your volume level, and c) make sure your connections are good. We recommend listening at a relatively low volume level. If there is ambient noise in the room, such as a fan or humidifier, this will interfere with your ability to hear audio through the Dreampad, so we suggest either turning off the ambient sound or raising the volume of the Dreampad pillow.

The music is probably either too loud or too engaging. First, make sure the volume isn’t so loud that it is preventing sleep. Second, consider changing to one of the other music options.  You could even try something like a meditation chant.  Boring is good!  And remember, low frequencies are especially good for relaxation and sleep.

We think you will love Dreampad products, but if you are not happy with your purchase you can return it within 30 days for a full refund. Dreampad purchases must be returned in the original packaging with all parts and accessories in good condition to receive a refund. Note: Some people take a few days to adjust to the Dreampad pillow. We recommend you try it for at least a few days before deciding to return the product. For returns, visit our refunds and submit a return request.

If you are not satisfied with your Dreampad purchase, return it within 30-days for a full refund. Click on the Returns page and fill out the form. We’ll send you a return confirmation and return label. You send back Dreampad product and we then process a credit.

We do allow exchanges within the same 30-day period as for returns.  Because of the high cost of shipping pillows, we do charge a $15 exchange fee to cover some of these costs.  If you wish to make an exchange, please contact us and we will set it up for you.

The Dreampad contains electronic components that cannot be washed. Please spot clean only and use a washable pillow cover.

Dreampad products are warranted for one year from the date of purchase against manufacturer defects. Coverage is valid only with proof of purchase. Alteration of Dreampad products will void warranty.

Shipping pillows is very expensive, and therefore we charge a nominal $10 to recover a portion of the cost.  The method we use is UPS Ground or US Postal Service.  These are usually delivered within three to five business days.  Faster services are available but are charged actual rates.  These include 2-day and overnight shipping.

At this time, Dreampad ships only within the US and to Canada.  If you have a request for a large order to ship internationally, please contact us at support@dreampasleep.com and we can arrange this for you.  

For international shipments, Dreampad does NOT pay for import duties or VAT tax in the destination country.  Each country assesses duties and taxes in a different manner and Dreampad cannot include these fees and taxes in the order. Each customer is responsible for paying these separately.  Usually these are assessed upon delivery.