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Being in nature is good for you. When you are outdoors in greenery, you can take pleasure in the beauty of Mother nature, enjoy the scent of the blooming flowers, and appreciate the relaxing sounds of a babbling brook or chirping birds. It’s no wonder that the sounds of nature, or green noise, is the newest sleep trend.
What is green noise?
You have probably heard of white noise, the static sounds that block out other noise and help you sleep. Green noise works by using the same concept, according to the Brightly blog. While green noise is actually manufactured, it mimics the soothing sounds you can find in nature. Green noise uses a low 500 hz frequency to help you snooze.
“In addition to simply obscuring potentially distracting sounds, the hertz of green noise can lend to increased tranquility. "Low-frequency noises are great for sleep, and green noise is known to promote a sense of calm and relaxation that can make falling asleep easier,” Dr Shelby Harris, clinical psychologist and behavioral sleep medicine specialist told Brightly.
Green noise is sweeping social media, reported Huff Post, and people are swearing by that this new trend saying that green noise helps them fall asleep faster. But it may not have the staying power to keep you asleep all night like white noise. You may have to experiment to see what works best for you.
Why does green noise help?
Besides masking sounds like traffic or other urban noises, green noise, can help you destress, according to mindbodygreen. While there hasn’t been much research on green noise, there is scientific data supporting the calming effect of hearing nature.
A study showed that people recover faster from a high stress exam when exposed to the sounds of nature. Reducing stress before bedtime can also help you fall asleep faster.
But before you invest in a green light machine, try playing some soothing sounds of nature like waves lapping on the shore, or gentle sounds of trees swaying in the breeze on your iPad and see if it works for you. You can even record your own.
In addition to using a noise machine, the organization Sleep Foundation has some tips on how to prepare yourself for sleep. Make sure that you try to keep the same bedtime every night. Limit the use of caffeine in the evenings and do not eat a heavy meal before bed. You can try some of these sleep inducing foods before bed.
You should also stop using screens before trying to get some sleep. Dim your lights, and try to turn off your thoughts. If you still cannot sleep, listen to some green noise to relax you and help you catch some ZZs.
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