The most relaxing sleep sound is subjective, but popular choices include white noise (static), pink noise (rain, ocean waves), and brown noise (deep rumble), which mask distractions, alongside nature sounds like steady rain or ocean waves. These sounds work by creating a consistent auditory backdrop that calms the brain, helps you fall asleep faster, and promotes deeper, more stable sleep by blocking out jarring noises.
Best Sleeping Noise: White Noise - The Classic Choice
The best noise for sleep depends on preference, but white noise masks many sounds, helping you fall asleep faster; pink noise (like rain) promotes deeper, more stable sleep; and brown noise (like a strong river) is even deeper and can be very calming, with less research but promising results. Nature sounds like ocean waves or a babbling brook also work well by providing consistent, soothing background sound to block disturbances.
The following are commonly cited as some of the best sleep sounds for calming anxiety:
Brown noise triggers relaxation because of its similarities to the brain's resting state, Sarow says. The low frequencies of brown noise create a deeper sound that many people find soothing. There are even brown noise playlists curated with babies in mind because it's said to mimic the sound inside a mother's womb.
Deep, Soothing Brown Noise
Deeper and more robust than pink or white noise, brown noise has a soothing, bass-like quality. Also known as Brownian or red noise, it can help enhance relaxation and facilitate deep, uninterrupted slumber. You can hear this color noise in rumbling thunder and a purring cat.
Those who sleep with noise regularly could impact their health in ways they don't realize. Sleeping with sound has been linked to various health conditions, including insomnia, high blood pressure, and poor heart rate.
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Listening to music at 432 Hz is a low cost and short intervention that can be a useful resource to manage anxiety and stress. Further studies are needed to assess medium and long-term effects of listening to music.
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To 100% fall asleep, focus on consistent sleep hygiene (same schedule, dark/cool room, no screens/caffeine/alcohol before bed), practice relaxation like the 4-7-8 breathing technique or progressive muscle relaxation, and if awake for 15+ mins, get up and do something calm until sleepy, rather than forcing it, to build a strong bed-sleep association.
White noise
It may also help promote sleep. One small study found people with insomnia fell asleep 38% faster when listening to white noise versus no noise at all.
In addition to facilitating quickly falling asleep and improving sleep quality, playing music before bed can improve sleep efficiency, which means more time that you are in bed is actually spent sleeping. Improved sleep efficiency equals more consistent rest and less waking up during the night.
The track Weightless, by the band Marconi Union, has been dubbed, “the world's most relaxing song.”
While generally considered safe, binaural beats' negative effects can include impaired cognitive performance, potential seizure triggers (especially for those with epilepsy), and risks for people with heart conditions or mental health issues, plus standard risks like hearing loss from high volume, though research is mixed and long-term impacts need more study. Some studies even show they can worsen focus, counter to their intended use for brain stimulation.
The 30-Second Reset: A Pause That Changes Everything
A short pause—just 30 seconds—gives our nervous system time to calm down and gives us space to choose how we want to show up in the moment. That might mean taking a slow, conscious breath. Relax your shoulders.
Take a deep breathe in, scanning your body to see what's there, and if you notice any tension, on your next exhale see if you can let it dissolve. Breathing into any tension, breathing out allow it to soften. On each out breath, let your whole body relax, allowing it to feel heavy like a weight.
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For example, people with nightmare disorder often feel distressed after waking up from a nightmare. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also involves nightmares and disrupted sleep. And nocturnal panic attacks can cause a person to wake up during the night feeling anxious and like something bad is about to happen.
The 10-3-2-1 sleep method (often 10-3-2-1-0) is a simple pre-sleep routine guiding you to stop certain activities at specific times before bed for better rest: 10 hours without caffeine, 3 hours without food or alcohol, 2 hours without work, and 1 hour without screens (phones/TVs), with 0 snoozes in the morning, helping to naturally wind down for sleep.
Research shows that sleeping in a quiet environment can increase total sleep time, as well as the duration of deep and REM sleep. While some people find consistent background noise like a fan helpful for masking disruptive sounds, true silence often provides the most restorative conditions for sleep.
This is misophonia, where seemingly innocuous sounds can trigger intense emotional responses in those living with the condition.