Chill MachineRain sounds for sleep
Rain sounds are recordings of falling rain, from a light patter to a full storm, and they are one of the most popular sounds people use to relax and fall asleep. Steady rain covers traffic, voices and household noise with a soft, natural texture. It is a comfort tool, not a treatment for any condition. Keep it quiet, on repeat or a timer. Chill Machine's rain recordings include English Country Rain & Wildlife, Rain Coat and a 28-minute storm that clears to birdsong.
Listen to the full track
English Country Rain & Wildlife
Why are rain sounds so relaxing?
Rain is made of thousands of tiny, random impacts, which blend into a broad, even sound. Steady rain often sounds softer than white noise and closer to pink noise. Because the pattern never quite repeats, there is nothing for your attention to follow, yet it is rarely sudden or sharp. Many people also link the sound of rain with being warm and safe indoors.
Gentle rain, thunderstorms or pink noise?
- Gentle rain is the easiest to sleep to: steady, soft and with few surprises. Rain Coat and English Country Rain & Wildlife are short tracks, under three minutes each, to play on repeat.
- Thunderstorms add rumbles and gusts. Some people love the drama; others find the sudden rolls of thunder wake them. Try a storm while you wind down and something steadier for the night.
- Pink noise is the steady, synthetic cousin of rain: a hush with no drips or thunder at all. You can play it free in your browser at pinknoise.fm.
Rain Coat
How loud should rain sounds be at night?
Quiet: just loud enough to blur the background, so you could still talk over it. Put the speaker a little away from the bed, and avoid wearing earbuds at high volume for hours. Our safe listening guidance has more.
A full storm, start to finish
Storm, Rolling Thunder, Gentle Wind, Clearing Rain and Singing Birds is a single 28-minute piece that moves from a storm through wind and clearing rain to birdsong. It works well as a wind-down before sleep or as a relaxing background during the day.
Storm, Rolling Thunder, Gentle Wind, Clearing Rain and Singing Birds
Tips for sleeping with rain sounds
- Loop short tracks. Turn on Repeat. In Spotify, a few seconds of Crossfade (Settings, then Playback) hides the join.
- Pick steady over dramatic for the whole night, and save thunder for winding down.
- Download for travel. Saving the tracks in your music app means they work offline in hotels and on trains.
Rain sounds for babies
Some parents use gentle rain to settle a baby. If you do, choose steady rain without thunder, keep the speaker well away from the cot, use the lowest volume that works and use a timer. Read our safe listening guidance and our guide to pink noise for baby sleep.
Prefer indoor sounds? Try shower sounds, which are a denser, closer cousin of rain.
Background sound is a comfort tool, not a treatment for any sleep condition. If poor sleep is affecting your life, talk to your GP.