Will a White Noise Machine Help You Sleep Better?

White noise machines, a fan, a hissing radiator or the static from a television may sound annoying but they may contain the key to a more restful night’s sleep. White noise machines are a popular bedroom electronic that people may turn to when seeking better quality sleep. But do they work?

Yes! White noise machines can work to help you sleep better. But how? And why?

What Is White Noise?

White noise is just one type of “coloured” noise you can hear. There are many other “colours” of noise including pink, red, brown, blue and green. Just like how light has different colours, so does noise. Also similar to light is how noise is created by waves. It is the highs and lows of these waves that create different sounds just like how different waves of light create different colours. 

White noise is a noise which contains sound from all the different frequencies we can hear across a consistent amplitude. It's a middle-of-the road sound. 

Depending on the heightening or dampening of frequencies, other colours are created. Pink noise is damped slightly making it less metallic sounding compared to white noise. Brown noise is dampened even more, mirroring a waterfall or rainstorm. 

You can listen to the difference below.

How Does White Noise Impact Sleep

Our bodies don’t stop listening just because we sleep. Have you ever woken up from a big bank or a crash of thunder? It’s almost guaranteed that you’ve been woken up by a pesky alarm clock or maybe a barking dog. The intrusion of unwanted noise can make staying asleep and falling asleep difficult.

White noise - or any other colour of noise - works by acting as a muffler to make these unexpected noises less startling to our ears and brain. 

Consider this metaphor. 

If you’re in a quiet room like a library and one person starts to talk, you can hear that person very clearly. But if you’re in a mall or larger venue and there are 80 people talking, another 3 people start talking, it doesn’t make a difference.

White noise machines give your brain a base to muffle any other sounds as you fall asleep. It can make a snoring partner or the footsteps of a noisy neighbour less disruptive when you fall asleep. The less likely sounds are to disrupt your brain when falling asleep or when fully asleep, the more restul your snooze will be.

Long Term Impacts of White Noise

There are different studies that talk about the negative effects of long-term use of white noise. Constant exposure to noise can tire our brains and auditory system. It's important to be aware of the volume at which you listen to white noise while falling asleep. It’s meant to be background noise to mask disruptive and sudden sounds.

Using white noise for sleep can also create an association for our minds between the sound and bedtime. For some it can make it difficult to sleep without white noise. However, sleeping with white noise is beneficial for those with sleep disorders who don’t sleep at all without it.

White Noise for a Better Nights Sleep

For light sleepers or those who struggle to fall asleep from background noise, a snoring partner, a busy street or any other sleep disrupting sounds, white noise machines can help you sleep better. They can be a useful tool when adapting to new sleep locations or when adjusting to a new sleep pattern. Ideally, sleeping in silence is the goal but white noise is a great option.