I've been suffering from anxiety based insomnia for 3 months now. I find that this does help me sleep, but why do I wake up as soon as it's over? I tried the 8 hour one, but didn't fall asleep. I'm super confused about the difference between the two videos. Why does one work but not the other?
The two tracks follow different curves going from Alpha to Delta. The 8-hour track was designed to mimic (and enhance) natural sleep cycles. Everybody's brain is a little bit different, so everybody responds differently.
I personally wouldn't use the 8-hour track, I only made it because so many people were asking for it. :) This track (the one we're commenting on) is still my personal favorite.
Without knowing more about your exact situation, I'd have to guess that you've got an overactive amygdala (the "emergency center" of the brain) which is keeping you in a constant state of being ready for battle. It's possible you're waking up at the end because your brain notices the sudden lack of sound and might even find it threatening. My suggestion for this would be to lower the volume a bit so the fade-out isn't as noticeable... and get yourself into a regular mindfulness practice. :)
Batty Britt