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Listening to soothing sounds is a popular way to aid sleep, relax the mind, and calm anxiety. And whilst we all have certain sounds which comfort us to the point of relaxation, we also have ones that grate on us and make us cringe. But as a nation, which sounds affect us the most?

According to new research, it has been revealed Brits find the sounds of waves the most soothing (42 per cent), but nails on a chalkboard the most agitating (41 per cent).

The study, commissioned by Boots Hearingcare, surveyed 1,500 participants UK-wide to uncover which sounds Brits are most soothed by and which ones cause the most distress.

Boots Hearingcare has worked with their in-house Audiologist, Hannah Samuels, as well as Counsellor and Hypnotherapist at Lifestyle Therapy, Susan Leigh, to understand why certain sounds are

Survey of 1500 Brits by Boots Hearingcare

According to the survey, the top ten sounds Brits find the most relaxing are:

Waves (42 per cent)
Rain on a window (34 per cent)
Birds singing (33 per cent)
Fire crackling (23 per cent)
Cats purring (20 per cent)
Running water (20 per cent)
Wind (17 per cent)
Thunderstorm (16 per cent)
TV (13 per cent)
White noise (11 per cent)

The results show that the sound Brits find the most relaxing is the sound of waves (42 per cent), followed by rain on a window (34 per cent) - showing that water really does help soothe us. Bird sounds took the third most relaxing spot (33 per cent), followed by fire cracking (23 per cent).

Sounds of nature seem to be the most relaxing, with the top eight results all being sounds of the outdoors, elements or animals.

Explaining why these sorts of sounds are the most soothing to us, Susan shares: ‘The sounds of nature are often reassuring and repetitive, and are rarely harsh or forced. We often retreat to nature to unwind, go for a walk, take a camping break, and de-stress. Sounds of nature often link with a feeling of getting away from it all.’

Answers also differed depending on age, with results finding that Gen Z (aged 16-24) are the demographic most likely to engage with white noise for relaxation (22 per cent). Results also showed that neurodivergent individuals are more likely to find white noise relaxing than those who consider themselves neurotypical (15 per cent vs 10 per cent).

Susan states: “White noise is often seen as a remedy and sought-out solution for stress or insomnia. White noise can be likened to sounds and frequencies such as radio static, a whirring fan, a humming air conditioner, or a vacuum cleaner. It’s super accessible as it’s possible to download white noise to use whenever it’s needed.”

Hannah shares: “For issues like tinnitus, you can help your brain distract and retrain by using white noise. Listening to white noise allows you to take your mind to an external sound, tuning out from the tinnitus and shifting your focus elsewhere.”

On the other hand, the top ten sounds Brits find the most stressful are:

Nails on a chalkboard (41 per cent)
Car alarm (39 per cent)
Drilling/construction work (38 per cent)
Snoring (36 per cent)
Babies crying (34 per cent)
Chewing/ mouth sounds (33 per cent)
Sirens (33 per cent)
Dogs barking (31 per cent)
Slurping (30 per cent)
Sniffing/coughing (30 per cent)

In contrast to the sounds of nature being the most relaxing, many of the sounds Brits find annoying tend to be man-made or produced noises, with the most agitating sounds being nails on a chalkboard (41 per cent), car alarms (39 per cent), construction sounds (38 per cent) and snoring (36 per cent).

Explaining why this could be, Susan states: “Certain sounds are natural, like wind, rain, birds and animals, but man-made sounds are often harsher, less harmonious, and more indifferent to the impact they have on others.”

“Sounds like sniffing and coughing are more noticeable post-pandemic as people are keen to protect their health. Occasional or sensitive attention to coughing and sniffing may be fine, where there’s a keenness to stay a little away from others, but continual sniffing can become a habit and, once noticed, can be hard to un-notice.”

When looking at the gender splits, the sound of babies crying appears in the top five most stressful sounds for men, but not for women. Meanwhile, women can’t stand the sound of chewing (45 per cent).

The research also found that women are far more likely to find sounds stressful and triggering than men, with women selecting a higher number of sounds they perceive as agitating when taking the survey. This supports various previous studies2 which show that women are more sensitive to sound, with them being more likely to be both relaxed or stressed by certain noises.

Hannah adds: “Some sounds can irritate us for a short period, but if you have hyperacusis (sensitivity to normal sounds) or tinnitus, it can be much worse. Tinnitus can be aggravated by sudden or prolonged loud sounds such as machinery, music or even a car journey.”

“Most people with tinnitus find that it can be temporarily reduced using the distraction method with things like a ticking clock, sound generator or hearing aids, which often come with dedicated tinnitus maskers built in.”

Sounds that are irritating, such as construction work and car alarms, don’t just get on our nerves, can be dangerous to your ear's health. Being exposed to anything measuring more than 70 dB (decibels) can start to cause damage to hearing after two hours of constant noise, and any sounds measuring more than 120 dB can cause immediate hearing issues. If you are worried about hearing loss, we recommend booking a free hearing test.

New survey delves into the most relaxing and agitating sounds for Britons