While some people prefer total silence at night, most of us benefit from some degree of ambient sound. Research has found that using sounds strategically can improve sleep. For instance, an artificial soundscape can block out distracting environmental sounds, like traffic or noisy neighbors. The right ambience for sleep will be different for everyone. Use the hundreds of sounds available on BetterSleep to create your perfect mix.

Camping on a Lake in Summer

If you spent your childhood summers at camp or sleeping under the stars for a family vacation, a soothing lake environment will lull you into sleep. Try these lake background sounds from the app to create a peaceful mix:

• Lakeshore
• Rain on tent
• Lapping water
• Canadian forest
• Campfire

Add in some animal sounds to complete the nature scape. The call of a loon is evocative of summer, while peepers are the epitome of spring.

An Evening in a Restaurant

The chatter of a restaurant background might soothe you to sleep if you find it comforting to be around other people. The light chatter and clinking of dishes can help you feel like you’re not alone without disrupting sounds that would wake you up later.

Start with the coffee shop, an animated café background, which includes light chatter, shuffling chairs, and clinking coffee cups. Add in the sound of a crowd and turn the volume up or down to get the right level. Add in a little bit of city ambience for the gentle hum of the street, and you have the perfect mix.

Jet Setting

If traveling is your passion, the airport is your happy place. Create an ambient mix of sounds to emulate an airport background or the feel of being on an airplane and ready to jet off to your next adventure.

Start with the sound of a fountain that emulates your favorite terminal. Add the sounds of a crowd and typing on a keyboard, and you’ll feel as if you’re sitting at the gate while people mingle and work around you. A little white noise provides the hum of the airplane engine in the background.

Snoozing in a Medieval Village

Sometimes, it’s complete escapism you need to sleep better. Create an ambience that totally takes you out of your world. Try creating a background medieval village soundscape if you’re into fantasy novels.

The sound of the crowd works for any time period, so start there. Mix in the sound of sheep walking through the village square and the Medieval melodies with flute and mandolin, and you’ll feel like you’re there.

These and other calming backgrounds are easy to create with the BetterSleep app. With more than 150 different sounds, the possibilities are endless. You can fall asleep on a beach one night and on a spaceship the next. Whatever your mood and whichever sounds soothe you into sleep, you’ll sleep better with your own custom mixes.