There are sounds that make you comfortable. Here are some of mine.

• A muted conversation of parents in another room as you’re falling asleep, or waking up from a nap. Known from childhood, but also as you visit them, you get into this special comfort zone of yours.
• Almost anything by Radiohead playing in the background.
• Sound of a coffee shop — chatter, coffee machines, music, clatter of cups.

(To be continued as I think of more things like this.)

I’m not adding nature sounds, they probably soothe everyone, but I rarely wake up to the sound of birds in the woods or a mountain creek. Okay, rain happens, and birds tweeting outside the window too, but they are too common to mention.

Overnight trains, when you wake up to the clickety clack sound of the train wheels on the rails — this can be soothing, too, but often there’s more excitement and expectation of what’s waiting for you where you’re going. Visiting someone, or coming home.

There is an old discussion on what sounds and smells people find comforting. Apart from the usual suspects like rain and ocean, there are a lot of mentions of food cooking. It’s usually me cooking — and I find the activity very comforting, but I wouldn’t single out the sound of it, as it is part of the process.

As easy as it is go get annoyed by sounds, it’s good to pay attention to what you find pleasant.