FAQs about the best nature sounds for sleep
How can nature sounds help you sleep better?
“Listening to nature sounds can physically change our mind and bodily systems, helping us to relax,” according to research by the UK’s University of Sussex. In the study, nature sounds were found to affect the part of the body that controls the “flight-or-fright” and the “rest-digest” autonomic nervous systems, showing that nature sounds can promote relaxation and resting activity in the brain.
In another study, participants reported that ocean sounds improved the quality of their sleep, including depth, awakening, and return to sleep.
Nature sounds have also proved to be helpful for the reduction of pain and in “decreasing potentially harmful psychological responses arising from anxiety”. All promising results, as less pain and fewer anxious thoughts may naturally lead to better quality sleep.
Listen to earth.fm’s ‘Best Sleep Sounds for Anxiety’ playlist! ☯️ 🎧
10 nature sounds that can help you sleep better
As discussed in our article about the best sounds for sleep, there is no guarantee that ocean sounds or the ambiance of chirping crickets will help you fall asleep.
In fact, you may not enjoy nature sounds for this purpose at all. However, for some people, playlists of nature sounds are enormously helpful for drifting to sleep. (You can even create your own playlist here on earth.fm, if you become a supporting member 😉.)
In any case, here are 10 types of nature sounds that are popular choices for encouraging sleep:
- Ocean sounds
- Rain sounds
- Cricket sounds
- Thunder sounds
- Forest sounds
- Wave sounds
- Bird sounds
- Wind sounds
- Rainforest sounds
- Snow sounds
If you’d like to give these a try, hit the play button on the playlist above, which was hand-picked in the hope of helping you fall asleep in the most relaxed state possible.
Read more about nature sounds
Here are some additional earth.fm articles you may enjoy, on the subject of nature sounds, experiencing nature, and its effect on our well-being:
This content is for general information purposes only and is not intended as medical or other professional advice.
