FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question 1
What radio frequencies do you broadcast on?
Answer
Sorry but we don't. We're an internet-only station which means you'll need an internet connection to listen to us. We'd love to be on the AM and FM bands worldwide but it's simply too expensive, our coverage would be minimal and the law would require us to broadcast station IDs regularly. There are dozens of ways to listen in. They are:
- Via the main player on this website. Click here to listen.
- Via any of the 50 or so internet radio directories that list and carry our audio feed. You'll find them here.
- Via other radio stations worldwide who carry our audio feed at specific times. Check them out here.
Question 2
Do you have a free app version that I can download and use?
Answer
We're currently working on a new Android and Windows app which is due to release in January 2024.
Question 3
My premium Android app no longer works. We notified listeners on 19 August 2023 that the premium app was being removed from GooglePlay as we could no longer afford the expensive updates that they require. This app cost us more money than it generated. More information is available here.
Question 4
What devices do I need to listen to Sleep Radio with?
Answer
The best way is to use a tablet or smartphone with internet connectivity as they're relatively small and easy to take to bed with you. Even if you don't have one, there are plenty of cheap Android smartphones available for purchase and you don't even need a call plan or even a SIM card to listen in to us. It'll connect to your home wi-fi without these. If you sleep alone then it may be possible for you to connect your device with a bluetooth speaker without the need to wear headphones. Alternatively, a laptop or computer will do the trick. If you share your bed we recommend you invest in a pair of SleepPhones. They're wireless bluetooth headphones in a VERY comfortable headband that are way better than bulky headphones or annoying earbuds that can fall out at night. They connect wirelessly via bluetooth to your smartphone or tablet. Sleep Radio listeners get US$5.00 off SleepPhones when you spend US$39 or more by using the coupon code SLEEPRADIO. Click here for more information.
Question 5
How much data does listening to Sleep Radio use?
Answer
We broadcast a 192kps signal which equates to just over 1mb per minute or 60mb per hour meaning that 1gb would be used by about 16.6 hours of continuous streaming.
Question 6
Why does the app have a 17+ age restriction on it?
Answer
Because our app requires unrestricted access to the internet, we're required to have this rating. It's just a condition that Google Play has. The content of our app and our music is suitable for anyone of any age.
Question 7
OK I've got a suitable device but how do I listen in?
Answer
There's a player on our Online Player page. We're also listed on over 50 radio directories where you can live stream our station.
Question 8
How is Sleep Radio funded?
Answer
My wife and I are retired and fund about 80% of the station's monthly expenditure personally with a little bit of help from online donations and our app's listeners. We get no income from advertisements because we just won't entertain the thought of having on-air advertisements on our station. If you'd like to help Sleep Radio help you, you can make a donation of any amount (no matter how small) via our donations page. We do have an annual two week on-air appeal in January each year but it doesn't come anywhere near meeting our broadcasting costs. All help is gratefully appreciated. Thanks, John
Question 9
How can I get my music compositions on Sleep Radio?
Answer
We play only slow, downbeat and non-vocal ambient and new age music. If you're an artist who'd like to have your music played on our station, please contact us but note that there are very specific requirements and conditions on the types of music that we play. We'd love to have a listen with a view to featuring your tracks. The advantage for you is that if your mp3 files are encoded with ID3 tags that incorporate track names, album names, artist, artwork and website sales urls, listeners can click through to purchase your work from our website. There is free software such as mp3Tag which can help you do this. Please note that we don't (and simply can't afford to) pay for music submitted and played.
Question 10
I've tried listening to Sleep Radio but I still can't get to sleep. Is there anything else I can do?
Answer
Sleep Radio doesn't work for everyone. That's a fact. Having said this, there's a heap of sleeping tips on our site (click here). We don't claim to be sleep experts and don't give any other sort of advice apart from what's on this website. If symptoms persist, we highly recommend you consult a health professional.
Question 11
Can I advertise on Sleep Radio?
Answer
Only on our website, not on-air. As at November 2019 we have over 58,000 unique listeners in 190 countries who visit this site hundreds of times a day. For details on how to advertise with us, click here.
Question 12
I can't hear Sleep Radio anymore. How come?
Answer
There are a number of reasons connected with this including your internet settings on your device but the most common reason is that you either aren't connected to the internet or that your IP address has been either disconnected accidentally or banned from our server if you were ripping / recording our audio stream. Other reasons could be:
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You were connected to us for more than 12 hours continuously to our main stream server. If that's the case, simply reconnect.
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You've been reconnecting after our 12 hour cut-off time for more than 3 days in a row. This tells our server that you're a business and it will disconnect your access.
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You've been using one of our audio streams in your business without our specific consent.
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You're using one of our old apps which are no longer supported.
If you think our server may have banned you for being connected for any of the above reasons and you want us to reconnect you, you'll need to contact us and provide your name, email address, your location (town / city / country), your IP address and your reason(s) for being connected for so long. If you don't know your IP address, you can find it here.
It's also possible that you could be trying to connect to one of our old, now disused streams. Click here for details on how to tune in.
Question 13
I can't get Sleep Radio to play on my Roku player. How come?
Answer
Our station's server has been calibrated to block Roku devices. The reason for this is that the algorythms of Roku devices mislead our server and make it think that just one listener is connected multiple times giving us false listener statistics and numbers.
Question 14
The station disconnects me after 12 hours of continuous use and I have to reconnect. Why?
Answer
Our servers are set to disconnect listeners after 12 hours of continuous use due to pirating and unlawful relaying of our stream on other websites and apps for profit which won't be tolerated. It also happens as listeners unwittingly leave devices playing and it uses up your precious data and also uses up our bandwidth allocation causing other listeners to experience buffering. We reserve the right to disconnect or ban listeners' IP addresses if we suspect improper use of our stream.
CAN'T SEE YOUR QUESTION HERE? PLEASE SEND US A MESSAGE WITH YOUR QUESTION AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU WITHIN 36 HOURS OF RECEIVING IT. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE SLEEP TOO.
