White noise sound machines can help you sleep, but they aren’t for everyone. For people who struggle to fall asleep, finding the right sound or ambient noise can be a key ingredient to creating the ideal sleep environment. Everyone is different, but they can be a great device for helping both adults and babies get a deeper night of sleep.
Why White Noise Machines Can Work
If you’re like me and find yourself struggling to fall asleep sometimes, using a sound machine can be the answer. There are numerous reasons why this could help you get to sleep, but does it work? Can white noise help you fall asleep? Based on a study by the Sleep Foundation, the results are mixed. For adults, the consistent sound can serve as a mild distraction to help you fall asleep faster when you can’t stop your mind from overthinking aimlessly. For babies, the sound of white noise can soothe them as it can mimic the experience of sounds they hear while being in the womb. In my experience, the answer is yes they can help, but it is a personal experience and not all sounds machines are created equal. The sound of white noise or other ambient sounds can truly be an effective natural remedy for poor sleeping patterns—assuming you choose the right one.
When to Use A White Noise Sound Machine
The ambient sounds a white noise machine or sleep app can create may help your brain to relax, making it easier for you to doze off. If you typically have difficulty falling asleep at night, consider using these machines between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. each night, when you’re winding down for bed but still have time before your head hits the pillow. Once in bed, allow the white noise sound to continue playing until you drift off to sleep. Do this each night and you will start to notice the sound acts as a trigger, to signal your brain and body that it is time to fall asleep. Do this long enough and you will find it may become a “must have” accessory and one you can’t live without. That said, it isn’t necessary to use them all night, so consider a machine that has a smart speaker function, or an app with a sleep timer that allows the sounds to turn off after a certain length of time (see also ‘Why Does Time Go By So Fast When You Sleep?‘).
Which Are the Best White Noise Sound Machines
There are lots of options to choose from when it comes to white noise for sleeping, whether you’re using an app or buying an actual sound machine speaker. You can even use a streaming service like YouTube or Spotify, but you risk having ambient light from your cell phone unless there is a sleep timer and the sounds can play while your device is turned off. Aside from price and function, there isn’t a whole lot of difference between white noise speaker options, with the exception of the size, cost and number of sounds. Some have limited sound options, while others have a wide array of sounds that you can choose from. If you want something fancy, that also comes with a sleep timer option, more sound choices and louder speaker, you will pay more. There are also a ton of free apps available and most provide something called pink noise, which is also supposed to help lull users into dreamland by creating a soothing static that blocks other noises in your environment.
How Do I Choose The Right One For Me?
The sound of white noise can vary from speaker to speaker, with some having a lower version of the sound, while others have a higher tone. You will want to test out several options before making your decision. Some of the things to consider when looking for the best white noise machine are; do you prefer the sound of white noise coming from a standalone speaker? Or, would you rather have the sounds playing from an app on your phone? Another thing to consider is how many different sounds and settings are available with your white noise speaker or app? If you choose to buy a speaker, I recommend getting one with multiple sound options. I’ve also found that several mobile apps can offer a wide variety of sleep sounds like rain, a fan, a generator, waves crashing, and more. My only issue with using sleep sounds from an app is with the speaker quality. While there are pros and cons to using sleep apps instead of a white noise speaker, I find the more quality sounds of a professional speaker preferable. That said, the apps offer a great variety of sounds and the quality of speaker might not represent an issue for you.
How To Use White Noise For Better Sleep
If you are consistently having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, it may be due to external sounds in your environment that disrupt your sleep pattern. If this is the case, then you are a good candidate to see if white noise can help. A good white noise machine helps to drown out those external noises while also increasing your melatonin levels, so you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Using a white noise machine can also be a part of your evening sleep ritual. You can test different sound options to see what works and gives you the best results. Pink noise, waves crashing, raindrops, or other sounds of nature can be equally soothing and help you to clear your mind and drift off to sleep. In my experience, sleeping with the sounds of white noise is something that has helped me to get a better night of sleep, and I hope it can for you as well.
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