Sleep is a crucial component for wellbeing – not only do people who sleep well experience less anxiety, depression, and stress, they tend to have higher wellbeing too.
Yet modern life can be full of distraction and worry. As we climb into bed each night, social media alerts and racing thoughts can make sleep feel a long way off.
In these moments, nature’s rhythms can provide a calming escape, and the scientific world is starting to take notice.
What the Science Says
A large amount of sleep research has focused on people with insomnia – a chronic condition that can have serious impacts on mental health. Insomnia is often treated through cognitive behavioural therapy (or CBT), an approach that aims to change the way people think about their sleep routine.
However, many people might have less serious experiences, sometimes having trouble with drifting off, staying asleep, or lying awake in the middle of the night. In these cases, studies have shown that natural sounds can form part of a bedtime routine that helps people get to sleep more easily, and improves the overall quality of their sleep.
A wide range of natural sounds, from rain and waves to forest soundscapes have demonstrated the potential to improve sleep quality in students, and boost sleep in heart patients in hospitals in the United States and Iran.
So what could be going on here? Some have suggested that hearing evolved to help our early ancestors estimate the level of danger in an environment, and that calming background sounds such as flowing water or bird song allowed us to feel safe, rest, and recover from stress, a trait that might still linger on in all of us.
Natural sounds might trigger this ancient response, reducing stress and worry before bed, and providing a gentle routine and cue for sleep.
Noise vs Nature
We’ve found a recent focus on white and pink noise really interesting. White noise has a constant frequency and might sound like static on a TV or the hum of an air conditioning unit. Whereas ‘pink’ noise tends to feature lower frequency sounds and resemble heavy rain, a waterfall, or distant ocean.
The evidence for how white and pink noise might impact sleep is relatively mixed. Although one recent review found 19 studies that showed white noise could lead to improved sleep, the authors ultimately concluded there was “no strong evidence to support use of auditory stimulation”. Another review found that existing research findings were highly variable – with some studies reporting that bedtime noise could improve sleep, whilst others found it could disrupt it.
But evidence aside, rather than sounds that resemble those found in nature, why not use the real thing? For example, instead of a white noise app, parents are already finding that natural sounds can be a better way to get children off to sleep – experiences that can form deep connections with the natural world and deliver numerous benefits throughout life.
Nature-Powered Sleep
Within the Portal community, this approach has emerged as an effective way to wind down before bed. We’ve heard from people who use Portal to help them fall asleep, help to keep them asleep, and as a companion when they’re awake in the night.
This app was a game changer for me. I’ve always struggled to go to sleep. I have tried music, sleeping masks, white noise, muscle relaxation, etc. This app was really helpful in transporting me to beautiful, serene locations, putting my mind at ease, and finally allowing me to sink into the depths of unconsciousness at night.
So next time you’re lying awake and need to find a sense of calm, why not try a portal from our sleep collection, it might just do the trick…
