Guides
Plain-English guides to sleeping with sound. No hype, no medical claims, just what works for setting up a calm night.
Put the guides into practice with the sleep-by-age chart, the caffeine cutoff calculator and our other free sleep calculators.
The best brown noise app for iPhone: 5 options compared
Brown noise on iPhone: myNoise, White Noise Lite, Dark Noise, Background Sounds and SleepBetter.ai compared.
Guide6 free sleep sound apps for iPhone, compared
Six free iPhone sleep sound apps side by side: prices, what's free, ads and iOS version, from the App Store.
GuideCalm alternatives for sleep sounds
Mostly use Calm for rain or noise? Five sound-first alternatives, with prices and strengths from the App Store.
GuideGuided sleep meditation: how to pick one and use it well
Breathing, body scans and imagery for bed. Which kind fits your night, and how to set it up.
GuideRain sounds vs white noise
Natural texture vs a flat, even hiss. How they compare, and when to mix both.
GuideHow loud should sleep sounds be?
Quieter than you think. Real decibel numbers, a 30-second test and headphone tips.
GuideHow to play sleep sounds all night with the screen off
Keep sounds playing until morning with the phone locked, a dark room and no interruptions.
GuideSleep sounds by the numbers
We measured 20 sleep sound files: loudness, steadiness and frequency balance. Method, charts and a free CSV.
GuideWhite Noise Lite alternatives for iPhone
White Noise Lite vs Background Sounds, White Noise, Rain Rain, myNoise, Dark Noise and SleepBetter.ai.
GuideWhite vs pink vs brown noise
Listen to all four side by side, then use a three-night test to pick yours.
Sounds
Binaural beats for sleep
A real hearing effect with mixed evidence. How they work and how to try them.
SoundBrown noise for sleep
The deep, low rumble. What it is, why people like it, and how to use it all night.
SoundFan noise for sleep
Box fan whoosh and AC hum. The familiar sound, without the cold air or the rattle.
SoundFireplace sounds
Crackling fireplace and campfire. Cozy, and safe to leave on all night.
SoundGreen noise for sleep
The mellow middle: what green noise actually is, and who it suits.
SoundHeavy rain sounds for sleeping
A dense downpour for noisy rooms: when it beats soft rain and how to keep it comfortable.
SoundOcean sounds for sleep
Slow waves, rivers, creeks and waterfalls. How each one differs at night.
SoundPink noise for sleep
The balanced, rain-like noise, plus an honest look at the 'deep sleep' studies.
SoundRain sounds for sleep
Soft rain, rain on a tent, tin roofs and window glass: which rain to pick and how to set it up.
SoundSleep affirmations
Short whispered phrases with long quiet gaps. What they are and how to use them.
SoundSleep music
Slow, drum-free piano, strings, harp and lo-fi, and what the research says.
SoundThunderstorm sounds for sleep
Rolling thunder over steady rain: how to pick a storm you can sleep through.
SoundWhite noise for sleep
The bright, even hiss that covers voices best. How to set it up so it isn't harsh.