A calm heart at 70 beats per minute
This heartbeat is made live by your browser. Each beat has two parts, like a real heart: a deep “lub”, then, about 0.3 seconds later, a lighter “dub”. They come 70 times per minute, a calm resting pace, over a very faint deep background. A resting adult heart most often beats between 60 and 100 times per minute, so 70 sounds relaxed without feeling slow.
The beats are very low in pitch. Small phone speakers cannot play deep bass well, so on a phone you may mostly hear the click of each beat. With headphones, a Bluetooth speaker or a laptop with good speakers, you will hear the full, round thump.
For babies
Before birth, a baby hears its mother’s heartbeat all the time, muffled through the body. Many parents use a heartbeat sound for newborns, at bedtime or during cuddles, as a familiar rhythm. If you want the muffled version with the rush of blood flow around it, try our womb sounds. If the baby needs something stronger to stop crying, shushing is often more effective, then you can switch back to the heartbeat once the baby is calm.
As with every sleep sound for a baby, keep the phone across the room, the volume low and the timer on. A 2014 study in Pediatrics found that infant sleep machines at full volume can be too loud near the crib. Read more on our white noise for babies page.
For adults
A slow heartbeat is also used for relaxation and meditation. Some people find that listening to a calm rhythm helps them slow down. Pair it with our breathing exercise, or simply lie down with the timer set to 10 or 15 minutes.
| Use | Suggested setting |
|---|---|
| Newborn at bedtime | Volume 2 to 3, 15 to 30 min |
| Cuddle time | Volume 2, no limit, phone across the room |
| Relaxation | Headphones, 10 to 15 min |
| Falling asleep | Speaker, volume 3, 30 to 45 min |