Lacey Mason, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Are you tossing and turning when you try to sleep? Is a pulsating migraine taking over your concentration?
If so, Sound Sleeping may be for you. The site lets users combine up to five sounds from a list of 37 to perfect a relaxing mix.
There are musical tunes like drums or flutes as well as comforting animal sounds like birds or a cat’s purr. Sounds that most don’t associate with relaxation also are available, like “highway,” “jet plane” and “office.”
If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, Sleeping Sounds offers some suggestions. Here are a few:
- The sound of the vibraphone is calming, and may reduce stress
- The booming sound of thunder helps to mask loud stereos, barking dogs and traffic
- Rain acts as a white noise machine that masks household noises such as refrigerators, heaters and creaking floors
- Rhythmic drumming creates a hypnotic effect to help induce sleep
The mixing board for the sounds is fully interactive. The strangest of sounds can be combined with each other, and volume is adjusted independently. There’s even an option for panning – which means making the audio sound like it’s coming from one side of the room or the other.
If you’ve got mad dreamland DJ skills, you can save and share your mixes. Just sign up for the site (enter only a username, email and password) and saved mixes are stored for future listening. There’s even an option to share the mix by creating a URL or selecting the service (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) you want to use to post the audio.
Sound Sleeping is focused on mixing sounds, but also offers longer, pre-mixed relaxing compilations for purchase.
The site’s one drawback is that you can’t download your personal mix – you need to come back to the site. However, you can set timers so your soundtrack turns off on its own, after you’ve fallen asleep.
And if you want to zone out with an entertaining but monotonous task, try their Bubble Burst game.
Check out a sample of my relaxing mix above and visit soundsleeping.com to make your own.
Sweet dreams!
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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
