285 Hz frequency
285 Hz sits just above C#4 on a piano. In the extended solfeggio list it is the “restoration” tone that follows 174 Hz.
- Nearest noteC#4 +48¢
- Period3.51 ms
- Wavelength in air1.20 m
Try it at the sleep preset’s volume with brown noise underneath; the noise hides the tone’s sharp start and makes it easier to leave running.
What 285 Hz is claimed to do
- Said to “influence energy fields” and help tissue heal
- Used for recovery and rest routines
- Commonly looped for sleep alongside a noise bed
What the evidence says
There is no published trial of 285 Hz on healing. Claims about cells “remembering” a frequency are not supported by physiology. Its practical value is as a soft, mid-low tone that most people find unintrusive.
Where the number comes from
The modern solfeggio list traces to Joseph Puleo and Leonard Horowitz in the 1990s, who derived the numbers by digit-reduction of verse numbers in the Book of Numbers. It is not the medieval scale Guido d’Arezzo taught with the hymn “Ut queant laxis”, which named pitches, not fixed frequencies.
285 Hz: common questions
What does 285 Hz do?
Sellers say it helps tissue repair. No study supports that. It is a gentle tone people use for relaxation and sleep.
What note is 285 Hz?
It lies between C#4 (277.2 Hz) and D4 (293.7 Hz) in standard A = 440 Hz tuning, about 50 cents above C#4.
How long should I listen?
There is no dose. Listen for as long as it feels pleasant, at a volume you could talk over.