Using Audiovisual Ambience to Calm Evening Restlessness

One of strategies I have read to combat insomnia is to build a sanctuary for sleep, such as dimming the lights after dark, and putting away distracting gadgets that would keep us up later than we want. Even still, when I try to fall asleep I still find thoughts from the day turning over and over. I have found that using our power of imagination through visualization techniques can help.

Recently I discovered a series of videos by the Youtube channel Virtuscapes. For me I found that that the combination of 3D animation with ambient noise gets the mind rolling with creating its own visual narrative. This one above, entitled “Zen Summer Garden Night Ambience | River & Nature Sounds” got me to think of myself as a character in a film or storybook — transported to a far away place enjoying some evening tea before retiring for the evening. Meanwhile, taking in cool summer breeze, soothing sounds of the adjacent flowing river, and stars overhead.

For me I have found this medium to be a good springboard for calming the mind by creating that mental sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of everyday that invades our ability to calm down in the evening.