There are certain natural sounds that have an almost sedative quality. Sounds that will have you drifting off quicker than it takes to count a flock of hurdling sheep.

These sounds include a low tide gently lapping up the shore, the chirrup and tweet of a summer’s garden of birds, the dying crackle of a lakeside bonfire, the ebb and flow of a lively stream, a waterfall’s distant rumble or the wind and wildlife’s gentle overture in a pine forest.

Japanese designers Muji have created a new app called Muji Sleep featuring these very sounds - anaesthesia inducing audio. Plug in your headphones, pick your Japanese soundscape and see how long you can keep from nodding off.

It's interesting to see a lifestyle brand like Muji taking the time to create a digital product that doesn't directly tie into anything they sell, but rather supports the calm, relaxing vibe of their brand.