Rolling waves on an open shore. Press play, leave the tab open, and they keep coming in.
Rolling waves
Paused
This browser couldn't start audio. The app uses its own engine and isn't affected.
Why waves calm you down
Waves arrive slowly. A swell builds, breaks, and drains back every ten seconds or so, which is close to the pace of relaxed breathing. Most people slow down to meet that rhythm without deciding to. The sound itself is broadband, like rain, so it also covers the ordinary interruptions: doors, traffic, someone else's conversation.
Unlike a noise generator, the ocean has a shape. If plain static feels dead to you, waves give your ear something alive to rest on that still carries no meaning you would have to process.
When to put it on
Falling asleep, first of all; the slow rhythm is what most people come for. It also suits long reading, journaling, or any wind-down where music would be too much. During work it is at its best behind you at low volume rather than front and centre.
About this loop
Waves recorded on an open shore, from the Foyer library. No gulls, no music. The loop repeats without a gap. The app has two more coasts, a calmer shore and a pier with water against wood, and lets you set how far out the sea sits.
Questions
Are ocean sounds better than white noise for sleep?
Neither wins for everyone. White noise is constant, so it masks more evenly; waves rise and fall, which some sleepers find soothing and others find attention-catching. If you wake at the quiet point between waves, switch to a flatter sound like brown noise.
Can I leave the waves on all night?
Yes, the loop runs for as long as the tab is open. On a phone the browser may stop audio when the screen locks; the Foyer app keeps playing locked and can fade itself out with the sleep timer.
What does spatial placement change for ocean sound?
Distance. On this page the sea is a fixed stereo recording. In Foyer you can push the waves far away so they wash at the edge of the room, or pull them close enough to sit on the sand. Behind you, in front, off to one side: you decide once and the room remembers.