Restful: a look at the inspiration behind the iOS app for neurodivergent adults
While researching apps and resources designed to support neurodivergent adults, we came across Restful—a soothing, thoughtfully designed tool that immediately caught our attention. Created to help users unwind and find calm, the app is co-founded by Tahlee Rouillon, a neurodivergent music composer based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. Intrigued by the app’s mission and Tahlee’s journey, we reached out to learn more about her story and how Restful came to be.
Introduction & Background
Early Musical Influences
Tenderloin Music: Can you recall your earliest memory of being impacted by music? What role did it play in your childhood?
Tahlee Rouillon: When I was a toddler, I remember singing lullabies with my Mum. She always sang a few songs to help me fall asleep and it’s such a precious memory. Then when I was 4 or 5, my friend’s mother played the flute in a performance and I remember thinking it was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard. I hassled my parents about learning the flute until they finally gave in and I started when I was 9, and I haven’t stopped since.
TM: Were there any particular artists, genres, or songs that resonated with you as a child?
TR: My Dad had an incredible record and cassette tape collection. So there was always music playing in the house or the car. Fleetwood Mac and Jean Michel Jarre were a few standout artists that captured me as a kid. Two vastly different sounds but both equally compelling.
TM: How did your upbringing and personal environment shape your relationship with music?
TR: I came from a very musical family that massively influenced my love of music. My Mum, paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather were excellent singers. I grew up singing in choirs, plays, and eisteddfods. And there was just always music around us.
Music as a Form of Expression
TM: Did you use music as a way to cope with emotions or challenges during your early years?
TR: Absolutely! Music was hugely self-regulating for me. It always felt like such a safe place for me. I loved being able to skip class so I could go to a music lesson. Or hanging out practising in the music block at lunchtime. I loved teaching myself my favourite songs on the guitar. I loved how music could stimulate so many different emotions in me - joy, nostalgia, melancholy, awe, and calm. Plus music was a big hyperfocus. By the time I was in late high school, almost all of my classes were in the performing arts. After I graduated, I told my mum I would be happy if I could play in a band forever.
TM: Looking back, were there any moments when you realised music was more than just a passion, but also a healing tool?
TR: I think it was just a slow awakening over time. To me, the connection between emotions and music is undeniable. I saw over and over how music brought people together, connected them to something bigger than themselves, how it could bring you to tears, or laughter, or calm you down. And I think that’s where its power lies.
Personal Background in Music
TM: Could you tell us about your journey as a musician? What drew you to composing ambient music and binaural beats?
TR: When I was at university doing my Bachelor of Music, I discovered ambient electronic music. Suddenly this whole world of music opened up that was specifically designed to help people feel calm. I couldn't get enough of it and devoured all the ambient music I could find. I loved how I felt when I listened to it and it became the soundtrack to my life.
At the same time, I was struggling with my mental health, undiagnosed ADHD and PTSD. Through a psychologist, I was introduced to an audio therapy called binaural beats that help you create calm brainwaves by hearing them in headphones. It was then that I knew I wanted to combine both binaural beats and the calming power of music. And I called this combo meditones.
TM: How did your music style evolve over time?
TR: Unsurprisingly, my music taste is quite eclectic. Over the years I’ve been a singer-songwriter; a jazz vocalist; played in a post-rock band; and produced electronica. And I think my style is still evolving. Even though I focus on ambient music, I like to play around within that genre. I make lush vocal looping tracks; spacey drone music; and cinematic pieces with piano and strings. I also enjoy making more earthy, grounding tracks with deep Nordic bass and Celtic-style drums.
Neurodivergence Influence
TM: As a neurodivergent individual, how has your personal experience with conditions like ADHD or autism shaped your approach to music?
TR: I think music is my AuDHD special interest. It’s been such a lifelong companion. Also having strong sensory sensitivities means that music has such a deep impact on my nervous system. Music often moves me to tears or gives me goosebumps.
I’ve also worked in the mental health space for decades now. And I’ve seen how my music helps people who are autistic, ADHD, bipolar, BPD, people who have anxiety, trauma, or are highly sensitive. And now I know why. All these folk are neurodivergent. And now I know that I’m neurodivergent too? My whole career finally makes sense.
TM: Do you find that composing music has a therapeutic effect on your own symptoms?
TR: Absolutely! I think being able to become lost in the creative flow is really therapeutic for my brain. So much advice for neurodivergent folk is about trying to make us conform to neuronormative standards. But honouring my need for creativity, flexibility, novelty and rest is so important. Giving myself permission to be neurodivergent is incredibly healing.
The Origins of Restful
Inspiration Behind the App
TM: What motivated you to create the Restful app? Was there a specific moment or challenge that pushed you to start this project?
TR: I had been selling mp3 tracks and albums online for many years under the name Sonesence. But the name was difficult for people to remember and spell. And there were often technical issues that made this process difficult for customers. Downloading tracks on a computer and then transferring them to a mobile device was hard. Or if someone had a computer crash and they lost their files.
So my beautiful life partner Harley, who is a web developer, suggested creating an app to streamline this process.
First, we created an app that was just an online shop and music player. But then we decided to open it up into a music library that housed all the music I had ever written. That way people had more options, could create playlists, and we could make it more affordable.
We tried to make a Progressive Web App, but that also came with its own set of challenges. So we pivoted back to making a native app for both Google Play and the App Store. And we changed the name to Restful to better reflect the benefits of meditones.
TM: What gap in the market did you feel existed for neurodivergent individuals in terms of relaxation and focus tools?
TR: Neurodivergent people face a lot of challenges in society that negatively impact our mental health. From sensory sensitivities, divergent mental models, masking our traits, co-occurring health conditions, stigma and discrimination. It can be very traumatising and disabling.
Most advice is usually “Have you tried meditation?” And while it’s a lovely suggestion, it often doesn’t work for many neurodivergent folk. Which is why I fell in love with meditones. Having a tool that works consistently without any effort is priceless.
Recently I’ve seen a big rise in products marketed towards neurodivergent people. Especially ADHD. But some of these marketing ploys have been quite problematic. It can be risky to assume that your tool will work as intended if you haven’t fully considered accessibility, safety and features from a neurodivergent perspective. You are potentially setting people up for failure. Which is why I think it’s vital to have tools that are created “by us for us”.
Development Process
TM: How did you begin combining your music knowledge with the technology behind Restful?
TR: Honestly, it was a huge learning curve for both my partner Harley and me. He’s an incredible developer but had only worked in the web space. So he gained so much knowledge and experience creating the app. And I had literally no idea about any of it. So I started researching app design, user experience, user interface and accessibility design. I even taught myself Figma so Harley and I could co-create design prototypes. Even now, we’re still tweaking and adding new features to make it more enjoyable and easy to use for neurodivergent people. But most of it is all thanks to Harley.
TM: Can you talk us through the scientific research that supports the use of Meditones® for improving focus and relaxation?
TR: Meditones is the word I came up with to describe the combination of binaural beats and ambient music. And the research on binaural beats is varied. Some research suggests potential benefits for stress reduction, concentration and even pain relief. But the latest meta-analysis on binaural beats said results were largely inconclusive. We need more robust research and repeatable studies to say with absolute certainty that binaural beats have these effects. (If folks are interested, I wrote a big blog post about it here).
But what is very well proven is the effect of music on the brain and nervous system. We know that music can activate the parasympathetic nervous system (aka rest & digest); can increase focus, even in people with ADHD; and can relieve both acute and chronic pain.
That’s why I got so excited about the combination. I personally believe that binaural beats have an effect. But that effect is truly amplified by music.
Impact of Music on Neurodivergence
Music and Well-being
TM: How does ambient music and binaural beats help with common neurodivergent challenges like overstimulation or anxiety?
TR: Overstimulation happens because our bodies and brains are constantly bombarded with sensory input. And a lot of neurodivergent people process this information in really deep ways, which overwhelms our ability to cope.
And so ambient music and binaural beats can help reduce anxiety and overstimulation because they activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). That’s the branch of the nervous system that acts like a brake in a car. It helps you to feel calm, relaxed and restful. But it can be hard to access this state of calm when you’re already overstimulated. So having a tool that can help switch on the PNS without you having to do anything can be incredibly helpful.
TM: What kind of feedback have you received from users? Have they shared any personal stories on how your music helped them?
TR: The feedback I’ve received from people over the years honestly brings me to tears. People have shared with me how meditones have helped soothe panic attacks, alleviate insomnia, relieve pain or cope with stress better. A few people even used them to give birth with ease!
I’ve heard from time-poor parents that meditones have helped them rest better and stay more relaxed. They’ve played my music for their kids after school, or after a meltdown, or even at bedtime to help them settle.
It’s incredibly humbling to hear these kinds of things but also fuels me to keep writing.
Personal Journey and Reflection
Balancing Music & Entrepreneurship
TM: What has been the most rewarding aspect of creating Restful?
TR: Knowing that other neurodivergent people have a tool they can rely on to help them feel calm, no matter what. I know firsthand how stressful living in a world that is not designed to support neurodivergent or disabled people.
So every single time someone uses Restful, subscribes to the app, or tells us how helpful it is, just validates this journey for me. I have a vision of creating a more restful world for everyone. And with the app, I feel like we can do this, one person at a time.
TM: How has developing the app influenced your personal music and self-care journey?
TR: It’s made me a lot more conscious of walking my talk. It was so important for me to embody my own message of becoming a restful person. I couldn’t handle being a hypocrite.
But rest isn’t something that comes easy to me. As someone with ADHD, migraine and PTSD, rest is complicated. I need a lot of it, but I also find it difficult and even boring sometimes. Learning to embrace restful self-care so I could be the person I wanted to see in the world was a pivotal part of my journey.
Looking Forward
TM: What do you envision next for Restful? Are there any exciting developments or future features you're working on?
TR: We’re excited to start working on app localisation. This means people who speak languages other than English can use the app more easily. Plus also adding different price points based on local purchasing power.
Currently, a Restful subscription is the same price everywhere and the app stores display it in local currencies. But what is accessible to users in Australia might be wildly unaffordable for someone in Brazil. So thinking about how to make it easier for people to access our app globally is really important to us.
And of course, I’m excited to keep growing Restful; reach more users and make more music for them.