8 Relaxing Sounds To Help You Sleep Better And Relieve Stress
Sleep hygiene is a newly popular concept in the world of sleep.
It refers to ensuring that your sleep environment has been optimized for sleep. Part of that is taking care of the sensory background your sleeping space gives you.
For this article, we’ll give you some suggestions for an often overlooked aspect of your sleep environment: relaxing sounds.
Everyone knows about concepts such as White Noise—even brown noise if you’re particularly savvy—but they often view this as sort of a sleep aid, rather than an essential aspect.
The noises you expose yourself to in your sleeping space are part of your sensory background and can really help make getting to sleep easier.
1. Rain Sounds
Probably the most popular sleep sound, the sound of rain certainly sends people off to sleep with relative ease.
Maybe it triggers a primitive impulse to shelter and cease activity, or maybe it’s just consistent and methodical, but it works.
2. Fan Noise
Many people love the steady, soft, whirring of fan blades. Unfortunately, not everyone likes the sensation of wind on their skin.
Technology to the rescue, delivering the sound without the ventilation.
3. White Noise
Many people think of white noise as a general category of monotonous sound, and it can be. But it does have a technical definition.
For most people, however, white noise can be recognized as the sound of an old fashioned television when it loses its signal. Not relaxing for everyone, but works for some.
4. Ocean Sounds
Another classic, there is very little as relaxing as the rhythmic sounds of waves slapping against the shore.
Bringing memories of warmth and summer vacation, not much else can compare.
5. Clock Ticking
Everyone is different. For me, nothing keeps me from falling asleep more than the ticking of a clock. Any noisy clock gets exiled from my bedroom.
But for others, the methodical ticking is just what the sandman ordered.
6. Thunderstorm Sounds
My personal favorite, nothing lulls me to sleep faster than the sound of rolling thunder and hard rain.
Perhaps it makes me think of warm summer nights, or maybe it just makes me thankful to be indoors.
Whatever the reason, it sends me, and a lot of others, right to sleep.
7. Nature Sounds
In case none of the previous sounds are your speed, it’s not a bad idea to check out other nature sounds, or a natural mix.
Many people can relax in nature, and a sleep recording is a great way to do that without having to deal with real-life creepy crawlies or predators.
8. Ambient Noise
Ambient Noise can be a vague category, but great to explore. It’s amazing what can end up being an asleep trigger.
When I was younger I couldn’t get to sleep without ambient traffic or other city noise. Give the category or a mix a try and see if it works for you.
Yes, relaxing sounds are a great way to help yourself calm down, but the real key comes from consistency.
Make things easier on yourself by being consistent in playing relaxing sounds every evening while you sleep, so that you’ll implant a sensory trigger that will tell your mind it’s time to shut down and rest.
We recommend you use ShutEye, and make listening to sleep tracks a nightly habit.
Explore the many different sounds it offers and create your own healthy sleep environment.