Insomnia is a terrible affliction. Lack of proper rest degrades your body's ability to perform and makes you feel sluggish and out of it. There are many causes of insomnia and probably just as many cures, but one option to try is the use of noise to distract you from any worrisome thoughts or discomforts.
White and Pink Noise
White and pink noise are two kinds of sounds that may help you sleep better. White noise is similar to the hiss of a steam radiator or the sound of an FM radio set to a frequency that has no station. White noise results when a sound has constant amplitudes throughout the range of its audible frequencies. It sounds high-pitched to humans because our ears are more sensitive to high frequencies than low. If you boost the bass frequency of a white noise signal, the result is pink noise, which sounds deeper, like the low thrum of a waterfall. Many commercially available noise generators have both white- and pink-noise settings. They may appear under the name of a mechanical device, such as an FM radio or a fan. The only way to determine which setting will work best is to try them both.
Music
Music may soothe you to sleep. The key is to find music that relaxes you without being too engaging. For example, a quiet, slow-moving orchestral piece is more likely to relax you than loud heavy metal. Of course, not everyone likes orchestral pieces, so choose music that matches your tastes. If you don't know which type of music to choose, start with something gentle. It may help if it lacks vocals because lyrics or human voices might trigger wakeful thoughts. Music stores and other retail shops sell CDs with music specifically designed to be soothing and relaxing. Test out many types of music to see what works.
Nature Sounds
Rainfall, thunderstorms, waves crashing, birds chirping in a forest and similar sounds of nature may relax you and help you fall asleep. As with other types of noises, your own taste is what is important. Many CDs are available that contain a variety of nature sounds. Many noise generators also provide nature sounds.
