White Noise Sounds from Nature Aid Better Sleep and Relaxation

A lot of us feel the desire to spend time outdoors and experience nature, and this is normal. We are built to seek nature and be one with it. That is why our senses absorb all the nature around us when they get a chance. We naturally respond to our instincts and find harmony in the sounds of a brook or the scent of earth and flowers. It holds a lot of benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing.

White noise sounds from nature are also used quite often in meditation. You will find the sounds of insects, humming birds, wind, and flowing water among many others. They are designed to return our minds to a calmer state. Our minds process the sounds on a conscious and subconscious level and interpret them as threats or no threats.

"The slow whooshy sounds you hear are interpreted as no threats, and this is why they have a calming effect on our systems" according to Orfeu Buxton who is an associate professor of biobehavioral health at the Pennsylvania State University. "The sounds are basically saying relax, relax, there is nothing to fear."

It is a lot more difficult to sleep when there are loud noises around us, and this is due mostly to the fact that a higher volume of sound can trigger the brain's fight response. We switch to a vigilant mode where we are ready to respond to threats.