How much control do we have over our sleep environment? We may be able to choose the best mattress and pillow, but when it comes to annoying nighttime noises, we often have to put up with whatever our local environment wants to offer. If I could dictate my sleeping soundscape, I would stop the Alaskan Malamute who lives next door from howling plaintively between 12 and 7 in the morning.
But just because we can't stop ambient noise doesn't mean we can't have some control over what we hear at night. A survey commissioned by hotel chain Premier Inn found that 50 percent of people use white noise to fall asleep at least some of the time, and 26 percent listen to it every night. And it turns out that we all dream of rainy nights: 40 percent of white noise listeners choose rain as their main relaxing sound.
But is a humid night really what we want to imagine as we fall asleep? With the launch of its new white noise service, NodFlix, Premier Inn is helping us dream a little bigger, tapping into our secret sleep fantasy: curled up on a luxury hotel mattress during a decadent weekend getaway with a great breakfast waiting for you. in the morning.
Inspired by ASMR, NodFlix's soundscapes are the kind of calm background noises you expect to hear in a hotel. It's the suitcases rolling down the hallway, the rustle of premium bedding as you sink into bed, the elevator doors opening to the penthouse suite… It's the sound of relaxing luxury and, yes, you can still hear the pitter-patter of raindrops. In the distance. (Or for a hotel-style upgrade, switch to the sound of a rain shower.)
Creating this optimal soundscape can potentially help your brain slow down and shut down, facilitating deeper sleep. Each part of your soundscape should be chosen based on how it makes you feel: relaxed, calm and at peace. Stay away from any noise that may cause excitement or stress. Respondents rated the sound of a vacuum cleaner as the least relaxing, and if you've ever vacuumed stairs, it's not hard to guess why.
What about sounds to wake you up? Perhaps unsurprisingly, waking up startled by the sound of an alarm isn't the best start to the morning. Instead, the best iPhone wake-up alarms have easy melodies and low frequencies, for a gentle change from asleep to awake.
But with an ASMR soundscape, you can choose the noises that will actually make you want to get out of bed. Sizzling bacon, a boiling kettle, toast cut in half: the tantalizing dream of breakfast waiting. Although these sounds may wake you up, your morning may take a downward turn when you realize that cappuccino and hot breakfast were imaginary.
Right now, the NodFlix service is quite limited. If you want an ASMR soundscape for sleeping, it's best to create your own. Maybe enjoy a night at a premium resort so you can capture the perfect sounds in person? After all, your sleep will thank you.
