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One in four Brits fall asleep listening to white noise every night, study finds
Over a quarter of Brits (26%) fall asleep listening to white noise every night – with 27% saying they would struggle to nod off without it, a study has found.
A survey of 2,000 adults found that four in ten opt for soothing rainfall sounds to help them drift off, while music is a popular choice for a third (34%) of those polled.
Audio books (16%), wind sounds (21%), and the buzzing sound of a fan (24%) also appeared on the top 15 list of sounds Brits like to fall asleep to – and 7% even named the purring of a cat as relaxing.
It also emerged the top noises that help them to gently wake up in the morning include the sound of a kettle boiling, or a piece of toast being cut. Half of respondents say they enjoy listening to white noise as a way to help them either fall asleep, or to rise and shine.
Consequently, hotel chain Premier Inn, which commissioned the research, has launched a new ASMR channel, Nod-Flix, where guests can have their optimal video and soundscape play as they drift off.
Sleep expert Hannah Shore, who is working with the hotel brand in partnership with Silentnight, said: “Depending on the individual, watching or listening to something calming before bed can be part of our sleep process.
“Different sounds generate different responses from our subconscious when we’re asleep, so what might be soothing to one, might not be for another.
“If you’re sharing a bed or a room, be considerate and invest in a pair of headphones – or why not try finding a sound that you both find soothing?”
The study also found that if they are sharing a room with other people and unable to listen to their white noise, 27% wouldn’t be able to sleep properly as a result.
More than half (58%) normally listen to these sounds or noises on their phone, with 34% tuning in via an app – while 15% even have a sound machine.
It also emerged half of the adults polled feel their sleep varies depending on the season we’re in, with 57% believing they sleep the best during autumn or winter – while just 7% claim they get the best shut eye over the summer months.
Respondents were shown a number of hotel-inspired ASMR type videos from the Nod-Flix channel, from the kettle boiling to a suitcase being pulled along hard floor. It found the sound of sizzling bacon was found to be most relaxing, followed by the trickle of running water from the shower.
The study, carried out via OnePoll.com, also revealed the sound of a vacuum was surprisingly least calming. Hannah Shore, for Premier Inn, added: “Switching off does not come as easy to some people as it does others, and sounds are a great way to help with this.
“Some people prefer complete silence, whereas to others the silence means they listen out for all the little sounds – in a hotel this can be people walking down the hall, doors closing, or the lift.
“Others may find they need their brain to concentrate on something else. In these cases, there needs to be something in the sounds they can focus on – like the slow rhythm of calming music, the repetitiveness of waves lapping on the beach, or even the noise of the TV.
注释：
soothing: adj
表示" 安慰的；慰藉的；镇静的"，means "affording physical relief"，如：Her words had a soothing effect. 她的话起了安慰的作用。
purring: n
表示" 呜呜叫声"，means "make a soft swishing sound"，如：Sensitivity to this type of purring may even be innate in humans, drawing from a primal drive to respond to crying babies. 这种呜呜叫声类型的敏感性，甚至可能在人类来说是与生俱来的，从原始的驱动器绘图回应嗷嗷待哺的婴儿。
soundscape: n
表示" 音响风景"，如：Check out your soundscape at the moment.What do you hear? 查看一下此时此刻你身边的声音，你都听到了什么？
中文简要说明：
英国连锁饭店委托专家调查哪些声音能帮助人们入睡，结果由「白噪音」占4成居首，甚至有26%的受访者每晚听白噪音入睡；白噪音也是受欢迎的苏醒声音之一，两方讨好。
综合英国《独立报》、《镜报》报导，睡眠专家肖尔（Hannah Shore）与床垫制造商Silentnight合作执行英国知名连锁平价饭店Premier Inn委托的睡眠调查，一共2000人受访，4分之1的受访者喜欢听白噪音入睡，26%每晚必听，27%在缺乏白噪音的情况下很难入睡。
Premier Inn设置新的频道服务，可让住客入睡前享受助眠影音。最受欢迎的15种声音之中，40%的人喜欢雨声，36%喜欢音乐，海洋声、喜爱的电视／串流节目也很受爱戴。24%偏好风扇发出的嗡嗡声。风声、有声书各占21%、16%。7%爱听猫咪发出的呼噜声，播客、森林的声响、壁炉发出的声音各有支持者。
27%的受访者表示，若与他人共享房间且缺乏白噪音，就很难正常睡眠。爱听白噪音的受访者逾58%用手机聆听，34%透过应用程序播放，15%使用放音机。
半数受访者认为睡眠质量会随季节改变，57%自认秋冬睡得最好，仅7%觉得夏天最好睡。肖尔建议，若与他人共享房间，应该考虑买一付耳机让自己睡前听助眠声音。
这项研究也同时调查受访者苏醒过程最喜欢听到的声音，切面包、水壶煮水沸腾的声音占比最高，白噪音也很受欢迎。最让受访者放松的声音是煎培根的滋滋声，其次是淋浴的水流声。
肖尔指出，有些人喜欢绝对安静，但对其他人而言，太过安静代表可能会听到所有微小的声音，例如人们走过饭店大厅、关门、电梯运作的声音，这时如果能有其他舒缓的声音转移注意力，例如平缓的音乐、海浪拍打岸边，甚至电视机发出的声音。
肖尔也分享助眠秘诀，包括：睡前若看电视节目，内容务必和缓平静；睡眠空间整洁；睡前别吃太饱；枕头能良好支撑睡姿；睡房灯光昏暗以助睡眠激素分泌；窗户加装百业帘遮光；睡前聆听白噪音（风扇、吹风机、吸尘器），粉红噪音（风声、雨声、树叶声），绿噪音（溪流水声）甚至低频的棕色噪音（或称布朗噪音，例如雷声）。
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