Rain Sounds for Sleeping

Many people find the sound of rain with the low rumble of thunder in the background is the perfect ambiance for sleep. The rain sounds mask any background noises that may happen during the night and the thunder sounds provide just the right contrast to keep you comfortably asleep. Once you have experienced the restful sleep that can come from listening to the perfect sounds at night, you'll have a hard time sleeping without them!

Where can I find the best rain sounds for sleeping?

Rain sounds come in all different shapes and sizes. Finding the perfect sound for sleeping can be difficult. You want to find a sound that has just the right combination of white noise to block out unwanted noises -- that might wake you up during the night -- and the soothing pitter-patter sounds that are so relaxing. The best sounds are those that have been engineered specifically for sleep.

The good news is that we've listened to thousands of rain sounds tracks and videos to find the perfect sleep-inducing options for you. You can listen on voice-enabled devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, on streaming services like Amazon Music or Spotify, or through sound machines and generators.

Amazon Alexa

If you want the easiest way to play the best rain sounds for sleeping, studying, or meditating, you need to get an Amazon Alexa. Alexa makes it so convenient to automate your entire bedtime routine! With a single command, you can turn off the lights, lock the doors, and start your rain sounds skill. The sounds of rain will play all night and keep you sleeping soundly.

YouTube

While the visual images in YouTube videos can be mesmerizing, they aren't really helpful for sleep. The best environment for sleeping is a perfectly dark room with no lights of any kind...even that little light on the smoke detector can keep you from getting the best sleep. That being said, there are some really great rain sounds on YouTube and we've found the very best for you.

Why Do Rain Sounds help us sleep?

The science behind why certain sounds help us to relax or sleep is still somewhat unknown. While there have been several studies on the subject, most of the findings are generic in nature. Basically, there are two main reasons that music or sounds help our minds and body to relax.

First, having a known sound like rain or rain playing in the background blocks many unwanted noises from waking us up. If the volume of our sleep sound it set correctly, it's just loud enough to mask any of those nightime sounds we don't want to hear, but soft enough that our brain will eventually ignore it. That's why you have to be careful to pick the right sound for sleeping. You want the frequency ranges of the unwanted sounds to be covered by the sleep sound. This generally doesn't just happen in nature and requires modification of the sound to add the right elements to be effective.

Second, the slower rhythm of the sleep music or sound causes our mind and breathing to slow as well. This causes our blood pressure to drop and signal to our minds that it's time for sleep. Similarly, fast music like rock or metal will have the opposite effect on us and tends to wake us up. It's important to choose a sound that has optimal beat or rhythm to induce sleep.