How Sound Affects Sleep, and How to Incorporate Bedtime Audio Into Your Routine

Key Takeaways:

• From calming your nervous system to creating a cue for your circadian rhythm, sound is a powerful tool to support better sleep.
• The best sounds for sleep depend on your environment, preferences, and what keeps you awake at night.
• Hatch Restore has an ever-growing library of expert-made audio designed to help you get deeper sleep and wake up feeling your best each day.

If you’ve ever played classical music to help you concentrate on work or your favorite Spotify playlist to get hyped up before an event, then you’ve experienced the power of sound to affect your mind and body. Audio can be just as effective for helping you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling actually rested — and we don’t just mean white noise.

From calming bedtime meditations or podcasts and ambient sleep noise to energizing sunrise alarms, Hatch Restore has an always-growing library of science-backed audio for every routine.

Below, learn more about how sound affects sleep, how bedtime audio can support your routines, and how Hatch Restore can help.

Table of Contents

1. How Sound Affects Sleep
2. How to Incorporate Sleep Sounds in Your Bedtime Routine
3. FAQs
4. References

How Sound Affects Sleep

Your circadian rhythm — the body’s internal clock — relies on different external cues to determine what time it is (and when to release hormones that make you feel alert or sleepy). Sound is one powerful way to signal “It’s bedtime” to your mind and body. Repeating the same sound cue each night can train your rhythm to anticipate sleep, making it easier to drift off night by night.

Sound can also be a great relaxation and stress reduction tool. The right audio can calm your nervous system and help you unwind for sleep, whether your day was particularly stressful or you just need a few minutes to shift gears from go-mode to sleep-mode.

On the flipside: Some sounds can actually be disruptive. That’s why it’s so important to choose bedtime audio that can actually help you fall and stay asleep. You can also use your favorite ambient sleep noise to block out distracting sounds in your home or neighborhood throughout the night.

How to Incorporate Sleep Sounds in Your Bedtime Routine

Sound can be a helpful tool for any aspect of your daily or nightly routine. Here’s what to know about how to use audio to sleep deeper and feel more rested.

Create a Nightly Cue

Sound can provide a useful “cue” that tells you when it’s time to start your bedtime routine — like an alarm for bedtime. Pairing the same sound with the same routine each night can strengthen the association between that audio and sleep, helping make your routine feel more automatic over time. Try setting a calming sound reminder on your phone or your Hatch Restore to remind yourself when to start getting ready for bed and start your evening routine.

Unwind With Calming Audio

Incorporating sound into your bedtime routine is a great way to soothe your nervous system and keep your circadian rhythm in check. The best sleep sound is the one you can stay consistent with over time, so try to choose audio you actually enjoy. Hatch Restore has a full library of sleepy audio, including meditations, audiobooks, and podcasts — plus plenty of calming music to set a cozy vibe while you’re journaling, stretching, or cuddling in bed. The best part? You don’t need your phone for any of it.

Choose an Ambient Sleep Sound

When it’s time for sleep, switch over to an ambient sound that keeps your body relaxed and sleeping deeply throughout the night. Sleep “noise” — yep, that’s a real scientific term! — can also block out distracting sounds that might wake you up, from outside traffic to footsteps in the apartment above you. Tip: Pink and brown noise have more lower-frequency sounds, so many people find them particularly cozy for sleep.

Wake Up With a Sunrise Alarm

Your sound routine doesn’t have to end when you fall asleep. A sunrise alarm on your Hatch Restore can help you ease into the day with a calm-but-energizing light and sound pairing that gradually gets brighter and louder as your pre-set wake time approaches. Whether you wake up to birds chirping or the sounds of morning in a European city, you’ll feel far more rested without the jolt of a phone alarm. Pro tip: Sleep sounds can also come in handy during the day if you need a quick self-care break or help focusing on school or work.

No matter what audio you incorporate into your routine, try to be as consistent as possible. The right dose of predictability can keep your circadian rhythm in check, so sleep feels more effortless and mornings feel more refreshing.

Explore expert-made audio to help you unwind and sleep deeper on Hatch Restore.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to sleep in complete silence or with sound?

While some people sleep best in a quiet environment, others benefit from consistent background sound that masks disruptive noises. The best option depends on your sleep environment, sensitivity to noise, and personal preference.

What volume should bedtime audio be?

Bedtime audio should be loud enough to hear comfortably but quiet enough that it doesn't become stimulating or interfere with sleep. Experts generally recommend keeping the volume at a safe, low level.

Can you become dependent on sleep sounds?

Most people don't become physically dependent on sleep sounds. However, consistently using the same bedtime audio can become a helpful sleep cue that signals to your brain it's time to wind down.

References

1. Saskovets, M., Saponkova, I., & Liang, Z. (2025). Effects of sound interventions on the mental stress response in adults: Scoping review. JMIR Mental Health, 12(1), e69120. https://doi.org/10.2196/69120
2. Riedy, S. M., Nelson, B. D., & Ohayon, M. M. (2021). Noise as a sleep aid: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine, 83, 206–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.04.006
3. Rusch, H. L., Rosario, M., Levison, L. M., Olivera, A., Livingston, W. S., Wu, T., & Gill, J. M. (2019). The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1445(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13996