Sound has become one of our most-used sleep aids, a kind of modern lullaby for grown-ups. Whether it’s white noise, ocean waves, or soft meditation music, more and more of us are relying on audio to calm our racing minds and help us drift off. For people who struggle with hearing issues, however,accessing these soothing sounds, and the benefits they bring, can be a challenge.
At Audika, we believe in the power of sound, not just for sleep, but for enriching everyday life. As experts in hearing care, we’re dedicated to giving people back the gift of sound, from the laughter of loved ones to the gentle hum of a favourite sleep track. The ability to hear even the softest sounds is a crucial part of feeling connected, calm, and rested.
Our latest analysis explores the growing relationship between sound and sleep, revealing how people across Australia and beyond are using audio to create the perfect environment for rest. By examining online search behaviour related to sleep sounds, we’re shedding light on just how important it is to hear the world around us.
But where in the world are people relying on noise to help them drift off? And which Aussie cities rely most on noise to get a good night's kip?
We conducted a search trend analysis across Australia and other English-speaking countries to find out which cities are finding it hardest to sleep, analysing monthly searches for common sleep sound terms (like “white noise for sleep” and “meditation music for sleeping”) and then adjusted those numbers by population to reveal which cities are truly the most sleepless.
Some results made sense. Others caught us completely off guard.
Ballarat Takes the Crown
It’s official: Ballarat is Australia’s most sleepless city, at least when it comes to how often locals search for sleep sounds. With 276 searches per 100,000 people, this Victorian city topped the list despite its relatively small size. Whether it’s environmental noise, stress, or simply restless minds, Ballarat residents are clearly leaning on soothing sounds to help them nod off.
Logan City & Brisbane Are Restless Too
It’s not just Ballarat. Logan City and Brisbane round out the top three, and interestingly, they sit right next to each other in southeast Queensland. In fact, Brisbane had one of the highest total search volumes in the country (over 4,000 monthly searches), suggesting a broader regional trend of sleep support via sound.
Beach Doesn’t Equal Sleep
The Gold Coast and Cairns might be idyllic on the surface, but their residents are still among the most sleepless. Maybe it’s the nightlife. Maybe it’s the humidity. Either way, both cities cracked the top 10, showing that a beachfront view doesn’t always mean better rest.
What About the Big Cities?
You might expect Sydney and Melbourne to dominate the list, but both come in surprisingly low when adjusted for population. That said, their total monthly searches are still sky-high. This could reflect a wider range of coping strategies in bigger cities, or simply that sleep difficulties are so common, they spread across larger, denser populations.
Globally, Aussies Aren’t Alone
We didn’t stop at Australia. We wanted to know: is this a uniquely Aussie problem, or is everyone reaching for sleep sounds these days?
So we expanded our keyword analysis to look at cities across the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, and New Zealand and some of the results were pretty eye-opening.
US - Atlanta Tops the Global Charts
Atlanta, Georgia ranked #1 globally, with a massive 375 sleep-sound-related searches per 100,000 people. That’s a significant lead, and it suggests that sleeplessness in the US South may be more common than expected. Whether it's city noise, long working hours, or the heat, Atlanta is clearly in need of a nightly audio escape.
Ireland’s Unexpected Sleeplessness
Two Irish cities, Kilkenny and Dundalk, came in second and third globally, despite having relatively small populations. It could be the long, dark winters. Or maybe it’s the modern pressure to always be “on.” Either way, the Irish aren’t sleeping soundly.
Ballarat: Holding Its Own on the Global Stage
Impressively, Ballarat isn’t just sleepless in Australia, it’s one of the most sleepless cities in the world by per capita search. That puts it up there with major US and European cities, showing just how common the struggle to sleep really is.
Data was collected across major cities in Australia, as well as selected cities in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, and New Zealand. Search volumes were then adjusted based on city population to calculate searches per 100,000 people, allowing for fair comparison between locations of different sizes.
All data was sourced in May 2025 using Google keyword planner
Keywords analysed:
- bedtime stories for adults
- meditation music for sleep
- pink noise for sleep
- rain sounds for sleeping
- relaxing sleep music
- sleep music rain
- sleep sounds
- sleep stories
- sleep stories for adults
- white noise for sleep
