Water sounds for sleep – are they effective?

Soniya
Water sounds for sleep can help relax your brain (Image via Vecteezy)
Water sounds for sleep can help relax the brain. (Image via Vecteezy)

Have you ever tried water sounds for sleep? Maybe you're lying in bed and there's a storm outside, or maybe you just can't stop thinking about work.

In either case, water sounds for sleep might be what you need to get some rest. The idea is that the sound of water helps calm the mind so that it's easier to fall asleep, and science backs it up,


Why do you need water sounds for sleep?

Helps with insomnia and provides restful sleep (Image via Mitchell Griest)
Helps with insomnia and provides restful sleep (Image via Mitchell Griest)

Water sounds can help you fall asleep faster and get more restful sleep. They can also reduce anxiety and stress, which can be a major cause of insomnia.

Water is one of the purest natural elements in existence, so it makes sense that listening to water sounds would be beneficial for health. When you hear the gentle waves lapping against shorelines or trickling down streams, the mind begins to relax as well.

The calming effect of hearing these sounds may make them easier for you than meditation or other methods that require active concentration from the brain. Therefore, if those techniques haven't worked for you in the past (or even if they have), try listening instead.


What's the science behind water sounds for sleep?

Can listen to other water sounds (Image via Unsplash/Simon Hrozian)
Can listen to other water sounds (Image via Unsplash/Simon Hrozian)

The science behind water sounds for sleep is pretty straightforward. Water sounds are relaxing, soothing and can help you fall asleep faster. They also help you sleep better throughout the night, which means less tossing and turning and more time spent in a deep slumber.

If that weren't enough, studies have shown that listening to these types of soundscapes may also be beneficial for people suffering from insomnia or who have trouble sleeping in new environments (like when traveling).

Additionally, some studies show that white noise machines can help treat tinnitus by drowning out ringing in ears as well as other noises that might be causing distress during the day or night, including snoring.


What kind of water sounds should I listen to?

Can use different apps (Image via Unsplash/Amrithanshu sidkar)
Can use different apps (Image via Unsplash/Amrithanshu sidkar)

There are many different types of water sounds. Some people prefer the sound of waves crashing on a beach, while others like to hear trickling water from a stream or river.

You can find these sounds online and play them on your phone or computer, or you can download apps that have pre-recorded natural noises, like rainforest frogs croaking in the night air.


How to use water sounds for sleep

Works for different brain waves (Image via Unsplash/Kommers)
Works for different brain waves (Image via Unsplash/Kommers)

There are many ways to use water sounds to help you sleep. The most obvious is to turn on a white noise machine or app, which will produce sounds like running water, rain and wind that can mask other noises in your environment.

If none of these options appeal because they seem too high-tech for something as simple as falling asleep peacefully, consider trying something more natural: putting some fresh flowers in an empty vase next to where you will be sleeping (or even just looking at them), lighting some candles around the room or even just filling up a small container with tap water from somewhere close by.


Water sounds can help you relax and fall asleep faster

Relaxes the brain (Image via Unsplash/Stefano Bucciarelli)
Relaxes the brain (Image via Unsplash/Stefano Bucciarelli)

If you're looking for a way to fall asleep faster, water sounds might be the answer. Water sounds are a good alternative to white noise because they help you relax and block out other noises.

Water sounds also help you sleep by mimicking the sound of waves crashing on the beach or rain splashing against windowsills. These natural sounds can help soothe stress and anxiety, which are common problems in people who have trouble falling asleep or sleeping well at night.


If you have trouble falling asleep, water sounds for sleep can be an effective way to improve sleep quality. The science behind it is simple: the sound of waves or rain helps you relax and fall asleep faster.

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