From Insomnia Struggles to Birdsong Bliss: How Drew Ackerman Found Peaceful Sleep with Science-Backed Techniques

Drew Ackerman, also known as Scooter from the Sleep With Me Podcast, has struggled with insomnia for years. As a child, he found it difficult to fall asleep due to his anxious thoughts keeping his mind active at night. He tried different methods to help him relax and drift off to sleep, but nothing seemed to work.

One day, he stumbled upon the idea of listening to recordings of birdsong. The sound reminded him of peaceful summer afternoons and helped transport him to a calmer state of mind. Research shows that different sounds can have varying effects on our stress levels, with birdsong often triggering relaxation responses in the body.

Drew was so intrigued by this science-backed practice that he decided to share his experience with others on his podcast. He invited experts in the field, including Emil Stobbe from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Germany, Jesper Alvarsson from Södertörn University in Sweden, and Eleanor Ratcliffe from the University of Surrey in the UK. They shared their research on how sounds can affect human behavior and well-being.

If you’re interested in similar episodes, you can check out “The Science of a Good Night’s Sleep” or “Why You Should Snap Pictures of Nature” for more insights on improving your well-being through different practices. Additionally, you can explore related Happiness Breaks like “Restore Through Silence” or “Feeling the Awe of Nature from Anywhere” to incorporate moments of relaxation and appreciation into your daily routine.

Feel free to share your own experiences with relaxing sounds or even record your own recordings to share with us! You can email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod to connect with our community. Don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share the show with someone who might benefit from its content! Thank you for tuning into The Science of Happiness!