Listen to the Earth — your peace of mind (and the planet) depends on it
The Earth needs us to listen to it — literally and metaphorically. In celebration of Earth Day, we’re helping you protect the planet and your peace-of-mind through the power of sleep and sound.
It’s no secret that our relationship with earth supports our mental health. Research has proven time and again that spending time in nature has the power to boost our mood, reduce stress, and encourage relaxation. It even impacts our sleep habits.
But not all of us have the time or access to indulge in forest bathing on the reg. Thankfully, we don’t even need to be in the great outdoors to soak up the relaxing benefits of nature.
A recent study found that even just listening to the sounds of the natural world can be support our wellbeing. Tuning into nature soundscapes at bedtime can boost your sleep by an average of thirty minutes per night.
Sounds of the Earth: Bringing the benefits of nature to your back pocket
The connection between the Earth, our ears, and our health, was the inspiration behind our latest Earth Day Soundscapes launch. Now you can immerse yourself in the healing powers of nature wherever you are — from your couch to your commute.
Our three new soundscapes have been inspired by some of the United States’s most beloved National Parks, including:
Yosemite National Park Soundscape
Sink into the majesty of this 125 year old national park. From the valley floor, allow the local flora and fauna to soothingly surround you. Listen in the app here.
Denali National Park Soundscape
Nestle into a hillside slope in Alaska's interior wilderness. Drift off to the symphony of what surrounds you - glacial ice, birdlife and soft winds. Listen in the app here.
Olympic National Park Soundscape
Beach meets bluff on Washington's mountainous countryside. The air is filled with equal parts salt and chill. A grounding moment set against the ebbs and flows of waves. Listen in the app here.
Our Earth Day Soundscapes will also be accessible on YouTube, where you’ll find 8-hour versions so you can unwind from the outside in for as long as you need.
Wild Isles Music
In collaboration with composer, George Fenton, we’ve also developed an additional audio offering that celebrates the sounds of nature for Earth Day. Unwind on a musical journey with selected score to (the one and only) David Attenborough’s ‘Wild Isles’ for BBC One and iPlayer, exclusively curated for Calm.
Sleep more, save the planet
Listening to the Earth doesn’t just help us get a better night’s rest. It works the other way too. By sleeping more, we also protect the planet.
If everyone in the U.S. got just one extra hour of sleep, we could save up to 2.4 billion pounds of CO2 emissions a day. If that’s not a good enough reason to get an early night, we’re not sure what is.
Sleep also gives us the energy to engage in sustainable choices. Remember: small changes make big shifts over time.
To help you cultivate gratitude for the planet and ease you into sweet, earth-supporting sleep, we’ve unearthed a collection of our favorite Sleep Stories featuring incredible landscapes across the globe (minus the carbon footprint).
Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life. Calm your mind. Change the world.
