Ocean waves are naturally occurring soundscapes characterized by broad-band noise with gentle amplitude modulation as water breaks and recedes. Many people find coastal environments calming for reasons that include predictable acoustic patterns, open visual horizons, and associations with leisure. Outside of the shoreline, recordings of wave sounds are commonly used in relaxation apps and white-noise machines to create a steady auditory backdrop.
In everyday terms, background sounds can make a setting feel more stable by masking sudden changes in the environment. Preferences for soundscapes are highly individual: some listeners enjoy steady natural noise while others prefer quiet. When people experiment with ocean sounds, they typically adjust volume, speaker placement, and session length to match the task and setting.