I met up with a friend recently to have a catch up and also do some work together.  As the conversation lulled and we both went back to concentrating on our tasks at hand I became aware of the sounds in the room.

I became mesmerized and relaxed by one sound in particular – that of my friend typing.  She is a really good touch typist and the sound of her fingers on the keyboard, lightly drumming away, produce a satisfying tapping sound that I tuned into to.

It got me thinking of other sounds that have this effect on myself or people I know.  My sister will happily fall asleep to the sound of a vacuum cleaner. The sound of the sea will do the same for me.  If I wake in the night and my mind is racing I move to a room where there is a ticking clock. This monotonous sounds switches my mind off and usually enables me to drift off to sleep.


The sound of rain is also strangely relaxing to me – sometimes the heavier the better.  It helps my mind to stop, empty a little and stop whirring.

There are also some sounds which can be irritating.  The sound of people eating is a stress trigger for me.  As is loud music or angry voices when I am trying to concentrate.  I get a real urge to get away from these sounds.

It would be interesting to know what sounds make you relax and zone out, and which ones really irritate you.