Most people get excited when it rains at night. That joy comes from the belief that the rain will give them a good night’s rest. Scientifically speaking, there could be some truth to that.
Different things in your sleep environment can influence the quality of sleep you get, and this includes sounds.
Adding sounds to your sleeping environment is proven to improve your sleep quality. When it comes to the sounds of rain, different people find it relaxing for a variety of reasons.
Why Does Rain Make You Sleepy?
Whether you’re at home or work, you might feel more sluggish than usual when it rains. The rain may leave you feeling like you should put everything to the side and not worry about a thing.
The number one reason why you may feel a little more sluggish or too relaxed when it rains is because of the air pressure. Air pressure decreases when it rains. Along with the low air pressure, the air is also filled with a lot of water vapor.
The combination of low air pressure and water vapor inadvertently lowers the oxygen levels in the air, making your brain feel tired. When it rains, negative ions are released and that leads to people feeling more relaxed and comfortable.
High humidity also has a huge impact on how tired you feel when it rains. At this time, your body is fighting to maintain homeostasis and this can lead to you feeling tired and wanting to rest.
Other reasons rain sounds make you sleepy include:
The Rhythmic Sound
The continual, rhythmic hum of pounding rain is surprisingly relaxing. It's a calming, non-threatening noise that is like a massage for the brain.
It's no surprise that many meditation and relaxation videos incorporate rain sounds. Nature sounds, including rain, have even been found in a study to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery.
Increased Melatonin Secretion
As the light disappears at night and your body gets ready to sleep, it produces a hormone called melatonin. This causes you to become sleepy, and your brain starts to shut down for rest.
When it rains, the sky can often become overcast and dark, meaning your body might start secreting melatonin earlier in the day, causing you to feel much more tired.
Restricted Outdoor Activity
Another reason why rain makes you feel sleepy is that there isn't much to do on a wet, overcast, cold day. If the rain is pelting down, you might cancel your outdoor activities and end up staying indoors.
Being so inactive can make you feel more tired than you usually would. This might end up with you napping on the sofa to the rhythmic rain sounds.
Rain Sounds and Relaxation
Some people are not able to sleep in complete silence. You may be familiar with people who sleep with the TV on, music, or even sounds of nature. When people choose to sleep with something like rain sounds, it creates pink noise.
- White noise: different frequencies added together. Creates something similar to a static-like sound.
- Pink noise: uses consistent frequency to create a flat sound like rain.
Rain produces pink noise and cancels out other background noises that produce frequencies that can negatively affect your sleep.
Your brain is responsible for picking out threatening and non-threatening sounds. This is why a loud bang may startle you. The sound of rain is considered non-threatening and aids in relaxation.
Is Listening to Rain Sounds Good for You?
Yes, listening to rain sounds is good for you. The benefits include:
- Better sleep quality
- Lowers blood pressure
- Decreased levels of cortisol (stress hormone)
- Better focus and productivity
- Helps you to relax and manage anxiety
- Conceals loud sounds in your environment
Should You Try Rain Sounds?
Rain sounds will have different effects on different people. One person might fall asleep quickly listening to rain, while another may feel like they need to go to the bathroom more often.
Try listening to rain sounds for a few nights and take note of your sleep habits. If you still have significant difficulty sleeping rather than sleeping better, immediately discontinue listening. There are many other different white noise sounds that may work better for you.
Where to Find Rain Sounds for Anxiety and Sleep?
There are a number of places to find rain sounds to help you relax and drift off to sleep. Try these out:
Rain Sound Apps
There are multiple free and paid apps dedicated to rain and water sounds. A few of the best ones include Rainy Mood, Rain Sounds HQ, Rain Rain Sleep Sounds and Shut Eye.
Sleep and Meditation Apps
BetterSleep and Headspace offer sleep sounds, bedtime stories, guided meditations, and a good selection of nature sounds, including rain sounds.
YouTube
YouTube has tons of free videos of relaxing rain sounds, pink noise, and white noise sounds to help you to drift off to sleep. The videos are long so they will last till well after you fall asleep. Check out these channels:
How to Use Rain Sounds to Fall Asleep
Adding sounds to your sleep environment can help you sleep better, but you should understand which sounds work best for you.
- Adjust the volume. Always be sure to use a tolerable volume level if you are using sounds to fall asleep and while sleeping. You never want the sounds you use to be overwhelming or loud.
- Pick the right sound of rain. There are different sounds of rain, including heavy, soft, light, and thunderstorms. Choose your preferred type of rain to listen to. This can vary by person.
Now you know the best places to find relaxing rain sounds for sleep. If you're trying to get better sleep, remember to follow a healthy sleep schedule as well.
This might mean purchasing a quality mattress, turning your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary, minimizing screen time at night, and finding ways to relax before bed.
The BetterSleep app has many sleep sounds to choose from, including rain sounds. Visit the app to see which sounds work best for you and get quality rest.
