What noise helps you calm down?
Ocean, rain, river, and other water sounds
The rhythmic sound of water is undeniably calming. Perhaps it's a reminder of that relaxing vacation you took, or it's just effective in drowning out environmental noise. Either way, science shows that it does help improve sleep quality.
- Soothing WindsDeep Sleep, Nature Sounds for Sleep and Relaxation.
- Meditative State of MindDeep Sleep, Nature Sounds for Sleep and Relaxation.
- Forest NatureDeep Sleep, Nature Sounds for Sleep and Relaxation.
- Aural WavesDeep Sleep, Nature Sounds for Sleep and Relaxation.
Just stepping away from something stressful for a few minutes or taking time away from your normal routines and thoughts can give you enough space and distance to feel calmer. Read a book or a magazine, even if it's only for a few minutes. Run yourself a bath, watch a film, play with a pet or try out a new recipe.
Water sounds, such as that gurgling brook or a steady waterfall, tended to be the most effective at improving positive affect (the psychological term for a more positive outlook or disposition and the experience of joy and interest), while bird sounds were best for lowering stress.
Natural sounds relax you because they are constant noises of a pleasant pitch. Your brain interprets them as non-threatening noises, which helps reduce your fight-or-flight response. This lowers your stress level and helps you become more relaxed for sleep.
According to a marketing study conducted by Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson, the most relaxing song in the world is Weightless, by ambient band Marconi Union. The song was produced by the band in collaboration with the British Academy of Sound Therapy.
- Breathe. One of the best things you can do when you start to feel that familiar panicky feeling is to breathe. ...
- Name what you're feeling. ...
- Try the 5-4-3-2-1 coping technique. ...
- Try the “File It” mind exercise. ...
- Run. ...
- Think about something funny. ...
- Distract yourself. ...
- Take a cold shower (or an ice plunge)
- Breathe deeply. This relaxation technique can be done anywhere and at any time. ...
- Snack on dark chocolate. Ready for the best news you'll hear all day? ...
- Unplug. ...
- Turn up the tunes. ...
- Try aromatherapy.
- Go Swimming. Ok, yes we would say that wouldn't we, but it happens to be true. ...
- Listen to music. If you feel tensions rising play something relaxing, like classical music. ...
- Visualisation. ...
- Go outside. ...
- Deep breathing. ...
- Meditation. ...
- Yoga. ...
- Relax your jaw.
- Breathe. Take a few slow, deep breaths. ...
- Count to 10. In the time it takes you to do so, you may be able to look at your situation with a fresh pair of eyes.
- Take a walk. ...
- Try a 3-Minute Meditation. ...
- Practice gratitude. ...
- Eat well. ...
- Get moving. ...
- Let it go.
What sounds are good for mental health?
Research has found the sounds of nature could help people's mental health. Data was collected from more than 7,500 people as part of the BBC series Forest 404 - a podcast that depicts a world without nature. Participants reported sounds of birdsong provided relief from stress and mental fatigue, the study found.
Tomatis said, “Some sounds are as good as two cups of coffee.” Listening to Sound Therapy for three hours a day helps to restore normality to our nervous system, calms the mind and compensates for and counteracts the draining, stressful effect of low-frequency noise.

Generally, white noise is better for focus and productivity, while ambient noise fosters creativity. Ambient sounds can range from flowing waterfalls to the steady hum of life in a coffee shop.
Since white noise contains all frequencies at equal intensity, it can mask loud sounds that stimulate your brain. That's why it's often recommended for sleeping difficulties and sleep disorders like insomnia.
The bumblebee buzzing in the park, a mockingbird singing in the evening, or a bullfrog croaking in a nearby pond are just a few examples of the wonderful and varied sounds that nature offers.
Loud music can do just that – the volume and style can almost be a companion, making you feel less alone because it's audio reflection of what your brain is going through. Loud music can also help process and regulate the more intense emotions, offering a space where you feel nothing but that noise.
- Music sound from Harmonium.
- Song sounds from human being.
- Bird's sound in the morning.
- Slow wind's sound.
- Vibration sound of leaves of tree.
- Sound of raining.
- A child's first word.
- Wedding vows.
- The words 'I love you'
- The sound of rain falling.
- The pop of a champagne cork.
- Bird song at dawn.
- A child laughing.
- Waves crashing onto the beach.
- Waves against rocks.
- Rain against the windowsrain-on-window.
- Treading on snow.
- Baby laughing.
- Birds chirping.
- Crackling open fire.
- People laughing.
- Leaves crunching beneath your feet.
How can I calm my anxiety in 2 minutes?
Take a deep breathe in, scanning your body to see what's there, and if you notice any tension, on your next exhale see if you can let it dissolve. Breathing into any tension, breathing out allow it to soften. On each out breath, let your whole body relax, allowing it to feel heavy like a weight.
- Just breathe. ...
- Close your eyes and count to 10 slowly. ...
- Chew a piece of gum. ...
- Phone a friend – preferably a funny one. ...
- Smell lavender. ...
- Curl up with your cat or dog. ...
- Listen to calming music. ...
- Exercise your body.
- Take slow, deep breaths. Or try other breathing exercises for relaxation. ...
- Soak in a warm bath.
- Listen to soothing music.
- Practice mindful meditation. The goal of mindful meditation is to focus your attention on things that are happening right now in the present moment. ...
- Write. ...
- Use guided imagery.
- Breathe it out. Breathing exercises are one of the simplest relaxation strategies, and can effectively calm your stressed-out body and mind anywhere at any time. ...
- Release physical tension. ...
- Write down your thoughts. ...
- Make a list. ...
- Visualize your calm. ...
- Connect to nature.
Saying the “i” word, “important,” can help them begin to calm down. Also, reminding them that what they're saying is important will hopefully cause them to pause and retell you what happened with less anger. Frustrated – Let them retell you what happened without interrupting them.
- Take care of your body. Our bodies and our minds are connected. ...
- Eat well-timed, balanced meals. Food is our fuel. ...
- Watch out for too much caffeine. ...
- Keep a check on sugar intake. ...
- Exercise. ...
- Get enough sleep. ...
- Practice healthy thinking. ...
- Watch for thinking traps.
However, the 432 Hz was found to be more effective in reducing the anxiety.
According to researchers, listening to sounds such as music and noise has a significant effect on our moods and emotions because of brain dopamine regulation — a neurotransmitter strongly involved in emotional behaviour and mood regulation.
This could include the sound of someone chewing, someone breathing, or a clock ticking. Trigger sounds provoke intense levels of anger or distress. Responses can vary between people, with some having severe reactions to many sounds and others having a somewhat milder reaction to just a few sounds.
While many people are familiar with white noise, there is a new color of noise gaining attention: pink noise. Researchers are studying pink noise for its potential to help with sleep, memory, and more. In fact, it may have benefits not only as sound therapy, but also as gentle brain stimulation.
What is pink noise good for?
Decreases Time to Fall Asleep
Steady pink noise may help people relax for sleep by masking bothersome sounds. One early study found that playing steady pink noise at 60 decibels — more or less the volume of a refrigerator — helped participants fall asleep faster12.
When you hum, you induce parasympathetic dominance, which means you move out of “fight or flight” stress mode into relaxation. Humming stimulates your vagus nerve. One of the best things about humming is that anyone can do it! Try humming along to a song and see how you feel.
Binaural beats in the theta (4 to 8 Hz) range are linked to REM sleep, reduced anxiety, relaxation, as well as meditative and creative states. Binaural beats in the alpha frequencies (8 to 13 Hz) are thought to encourage relaxation, promote positivity, and decrease anxiety.
- Waves against rocks.
- Rain against the windowsrain-on-window.
- Treading on snow.
- Baby laughing.
- Birds chirping.
- Crackling open fire.
- People laughing.
- Leaves crunching beneath your feet.
- 1) Clench Your Facial Muscles And Relax Them. Communication between your brain and your body is a two-way street. ...
- 2) Take Slow, Deep Breaths. The vagus nerve is one of the key emotional highways in your body. ...
- 3) Splash Your Face With Cold Water. ...
- 4) Play Music And Do A Little Dance. ...
- Sum Up.
Some of the possible benefits of humming include: Reduced levels of stress. Lowered blood pressure and heart rate. Increased levels of nitric oxide, a molecule that promotes healing and widens blood vessels.
- Breathe through your nose with mouth closed and the tip of your tongue resting behind your top front teeth. ...
- As you exhale slowly through your nose make a sustained “hmmmmmm…..” sound.
- Avoid pushing the air out with force. ...
- Now, breathe in gently through your nose and repeat.
Results: 432 Hz tuned music was associated with a slight decrease of mean (systolic and diastolic) blood pressure values (although not significant), a marked decrease in the mean of heart rate (-4.79 bpm, p = 0.05) and a slight decrease of the mean respiratory rate values (1 r.a., p = 0.06), compared to 440 Hz.
Certain records mention use of 432 Hz music as very beneficial tone for inducing sleep.
205 subjects each chose a "most pleasant" sound delivered through an earphone by turning the control knob on a continuously variable audio oscillator. Most subjects chose a frequency in a relatively narrow (approximately 350 Hz) band centered on 399 Hz.