The short answer
As quiet as still covers the sounds that bother you. A good test: if you could hold a quiet conversation over the rain, the level is about right. Health guidance for bedrooms is that continuous noise should stay low, around the level of a quiet room, so a sleep sound should be softer than you first think.
Why quiet is better
The point of rain is to shrink the gap between the background and whatever disturbs you, not to drown it out. Louder rain does not mask much more, but it does make the rain itself something your brain has to process. Anything played all night is also not entirely neutral for sleep, so there is no reason to overdo it.
Where to put the speaker
- Across the room, on a shelf or a table. Not on the pillow.
- A speaker is kinder than earphones for a whole night, because earphones put the sound straight into the ear canal.
- If you use headphones, keep the level lower than you would for music.
Use the mixer to lower the “edges”
If the rain feels harsh, turn down the Window layer, which is the brightest, and turn up the Rain wash or the Leaves layer. If it feels heavy, lower the Low hum. If the music is the thing keeping you awake, turn the Music slider down first.
Check again after a week
People tend to turn sleep sounds up over time as they stop noticing them. After a week, lower it a step and see if it still works.
Questions
How loud should rain sounds be for sleeping?
Quiet. Loud enough to blur the small noises that wake you, not loud enough to become the thing you listen to. If you could still have a quiet conversation over it, the level is about right. Put the speaker across the room, not on the pillow.
Should I leave rain sounds on all night?
If you mostly have trouble falling asleep, use the sleep timer (30 to 60 minutes) so everything fades out. If noise wakes you through the night, the 8 hour mix or a long timer makes sense. Keep the level low either way.
Is this real rain or a recording?
It is real recorded rain: field recordings of rain, a window, a roof, leaves, wind, a train cabin and distant thunder, mixed live in your browser. The loops are cut and crossfaded so you do not hear a seam, and the thunder rolls arrive at random times. The music is original lofi by Purrple Cat.
Will it work with my phone screen off?
Some mobile browsers pause web audio when the screen locks. The “Dim screen” button blacks out the page and asks the browser to keep the screen awake, so the sound keeps going. Browsers vary, so test it before you rely on it for the night.
Try it: the rain mixer · Deep Sleep Drizzle · 1 hour mix
