Imagine this. You’re getting ready for bed. You can hear the crisp crashes of waves against the shoreline. Crickets fill the silence. You’re in your favorite and most comfortable pajamas, laying down by the warm crackling fire in the living room. Your favorite music is playing in the background. You’re blissful and stress-free. Next thing you know, your eyes shut close. Darkness engulfs your vision. You fall asleep.
Getting a good night's sleep doesn’t have to be a hassle. And you don’t have to take a trip up to a cozy cottage to enjoy the relaxing natural music of the lake. Instead, you could fall asleep to immersive soundscapes.
Soundscapes are mixes of nature sounds and synthetic sounds that anyone can use to ease into sleep at night. Soundscapes bring individual sounds together to create something like a landscape for your sense of hearing.
Soundscapes may include gentle rain, wind in the leaves, and chirping frogs to help guide you to sleep to the sounds of a spring forest. Sounds have the power to impact your sleep, either for the worse if they’re disruptive, or for the better, if they soothe you.
Several studies show that certain sounds can make it easier to sleep and improve sleep quality and cognitive function. Soundscapes may not have been part of your music education, but they're an efficient tool you can use to improve your sleep.
Check out these options on BetterSleep for ready-made soundscapes to help you drift away on a peaceful sleep journey.
1. Fall Asleep in an Old Ship's Captain's Cabin on a Rainy Night
Picture yourself as the captain on an old ship in the sea. The waves are rolling gently, and you can hear them as they lap against the side of the boat. The room is small but cozy. A dog sleeps quietly at the end of the bed, and as you begin to feel relaxed, the nature of the sea gets involved, and a thunderstorm breaks. The ship’s wooden sides muffle the sounds of thunder and waves, providing a gentle soundtrack to a good night’s sleep.
2. Drift Off to Sleep by a Pristine Canadian Lakeside
You’re in a sleeping bag or a tent with the windows open on a cool, early summer night by a remote Canadian lake. The water laps softly on the pebbly shore. Frogs serenade you, and a loon calls out in the distance. Far from the city, these sounds of nature should put you to sleep in no time.
3. Soothe and Distract With City by Night
While some people relax best to the sounds of nature, others prefer the white noise of a city. If that’s you, try this BetterSleep mix and find yourself transported to an apartment on a bustling block at night. You’ll hear the steady movement of a train on the tracks, distant car horns, and urban birds calling out as the sun sets for the night.
4. Fall Asleep in a Cozy Spaceship
If you have always dreamed of getting on a rocket ship and exploring other worlds, of all the soundscapes, this one may be best for you. Imagine yourself in a cozy spaceship for one, far from the troubles back on Earth. Listen to the soothing sounds of flying through space without a care in the world.
5. Go on an ASMR Voyage Into Deep Sleep
ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) has been a social media trend for some time. It’s that relaxing, yet tingling sensation you experience with certain sounds. Many people find ASMR soothing for sleep. Research into how effective ASMR sounds are for sleep is limited but promising. What works for one person may not for another, but try this BetterSleep mix to see what ASMR does for your sleep.
BetterSleep offers these and other soundscapes to meet everyone’s sleep needs. You can also create your own mixes or choose from those developed and saved by other users. Find soundscapes that work every time, or change it up and go on a different sleep journey each night.
Why Nature Sounds May Help You Sleep
We know that we can help ourselves relax with certain soundscapes that offer a variety of sounds, but why? Our brain interprets certain nature sounds as non-threatening. And in return, this effect may slow down our body's natural fight-flight response, causing a relief of stress, and a better ability to fall asleep.
These immersive soundscapes may not only help because of the fact that they have sounds of nature incorporated within them. According to John Hopkins Medicine, listening to music is shown to reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain. All of which could be inevitable preventers of falling asleep.
Combining the positive effects of music, and the sound of nature to help with stress, soundscapes provide a truly unique experience that allows you to enjoy environments, with sound and music that naturally bring you into a relaxed state, leading to a quality slumber.
It’s also worth mentioning that you can find unique soundscapes founded on your own preference.
Based on your personal experiences throughout your life, there may be soundscapes that you’re more accustomed to sleeping in.
For instance, when it rains, you might find yourself often cozying up in bed for a quick nap. Or, the sounds associated with being near a Canadian lake may remind you of a past summer sleep in a comfortable cottage or camping trip you went on.
Specific soundscapes may help you more because of the personal experience and memories that you can relate them to. In return, they can make you fall asleep easier and find more enjoyment in them.
Conclusion
With such a wide variety of unique immersive soundscapes to choose from, you should have no problem in your search for one that suits your needs and interests and helps you fall asleep easier.
There’s clear evidence that music and nature sounds can have a direct impact on our bodies and what we experience. Certain sounds can help us relax easier, and music can help to reduce our anxiety and find some peace.
No matter what you choose, you’re bound to find one that fits your needs best. You can try out some of BetterSleeps soundscapes for yourself for free today!
